only they insinuated them selues into these places wherin the Gospel had béen diligently preached and where ther were godly and quiet men there they made a sturre they raysed vp factions and bredde discorde 22 They sought to be frée from all lawes and to doe what they list 23 They were animated by craftie suttle Papists whiche did séeke the ouerthrowe of the Gospell and the restoring of papisme 24 To be short the people had them in great admiration bicause of their hypocrisie and straightnesse of lyfe and suche as were of contentious natures ioyned with them and commended their doings These were the manners conditions practises and procéedings of the Anabaptists in Germanie before they vttered their sedicious and monstrous heresies I leaue the application hereof to youre wysedomes who easily can coniecture what kind of men they be that come nearest to those steps Only I desire you to be circumspect and to vnderstande that Anabaptisme which vsually followeth the preaching of the Gospel is gâ—â—â—tly to be feared in this Church of Englande and almoste playnly professed in this Admonition the authors wherof agrée with them in these forenamed practises and qualities Moreouer it may also please you to consider the conditions and practises of the Donatists who deuided them selues from the congregation and had their peculiar Churches or rather Conuenticles in Africa They taught also that all other Churches were spotted and impure bicause of their Ministers Finally that there ought to be no compulsion vsed in matters of Religion and sayth and that none should be punyshed for their conscience To conclude these men â—â—atly ioyne with the Papists and by the selfe same assertions bend their force agaynst this Churche of Englande For Fyrst the Papistes affirme that we are not the true Churche no that we haue not so muche as the outward face and shewe of the true Churche And so do these men almost in flat and playne termes 2 Secondly the Papistes say that we haue no ministerie no Byshops no Pastours bicause they be not ritely and canonically called to these functions the selfe same do these men affirme 3 Thirdly the Papistes say that our Sacraments be not rightly ministred and so say they likewise 4 Fourthly the Papistes wholly condemne our booke of Common prayers set out by publike authoritie and the whole order of our seruice In that poynt these men do fully ioyne with them also for they condemne it wholly and that with most bitternesse 5 Fiftly the Papistes would not haue the Scriptures read in the Churche to the people no more would they For they say reading is not féeding but as euil as playing vpon a stage and worse too 6. Sixtly the Papistes denie the ciuill Magistrate to haue any authoritie in Ecclesiasticall matters and so do they 7 To be shorte the Papistes refuse to come to our Churche to communicate with vs in the Lords supper and these men would not haue them by lawes and punishment compelled there vnto Hereby it is manyfest that the Papistes and they ioyntly séeke to shake nay to ouerthrowe the selfe same foundations grounds and pillers of our Churche although not by the selfe same instruments and engines Wherfore it is time to awake out of sléepe and to draw oute the sworde of discipline to prouide that lawes which be generall and made for vniformitie aswell of doctrine as Ceremonies be generally and vniuersally obserued that those which according to their conscience and duetie execute them be maynteyned and not discoraged either boldly to defende the religion and kinde of gouernement in this Realme established or else if you can to refourme and better the same for it can not bée but that this fréedome giuen vnto men to obey and disobey what they liste to speake what they liste agaynst whome they liste and where they liste to broche what opinions and doctrine they list muste in the ende burst out into some straunge and daungerous effecte The Lorde bothe graunt vnto you that be Magistrates the spirite of gouernement and to all other that be Subiectes the spirite of true obedience Amen The preface of the Admonition To the godly Readers Grace and peace from god c. TWo treatises yee haue here ensuing beloued in Christ which ye must reade without parcialitie or blinde affection For otherwyse you shall neither see theyr meanyng nor refrayne your selues from rashely condemning of them without iust cause For certain men there are of great countenance which will not lightly like of them bicause they principally concerne their persons and vniust dealings whose credite is great and whose friends are many we meane the lordly Lords Archbishops bishops Suffraganes Deanes Doctours Archdeacons Chauncelours and the rest of that proude generation whose kingdome must downe holde they neuer so harde bicause their tyrannous Lordship can not stande with Christes kingdome And it is the special mischief of our English Church and the chief cause of backwardnesse and of all breach and dissention For they whose authoritie is forbidden by Christ will haue their stroke without their fellow seruantes yea though vngratiously cruelly Pope-like they take vppon them to beate them and that for their owne childish Articles being for the moste part againste the manifest truthe of God First by experience their rigoure hathe too plainely appeared euer since their wicked raigne and specially for the space of these fiue or sixe yeares last past together Of the enormities whiche with such rigoure they mainteine these treatises do in part make mention iustly crauing redresse therof But the matters do require a larger discourse Only the authors of these thoughte it their partes to admonish you at this time of those inconueniences whiche men seeme not to thinke vpon and whiche without reformation can not but increase further dissention the one part being proude pontificall and tyrannous and the worde of God for the other part expresse and manifest as if it pleased the state to examine the matters it would be euident And would to god that free conference in these matters might be had For howsoeuer learned many they seeme to be they should may in this realme finde inowe to matche them and shame them to if they hold on as they haue begon And out of this realme they haue all the best reformed churches thoroughout Christendome against them But in a fewe words to saye what we meane Either must we haue a right ministerie of God and a right gouernment of his church according to the scriptures set vp both whiche we lacke or else there can be no right religion nor yet for coÌ„tempt therof can Gods plagues be from vs any while differred And therfore though they link in together slaunderously charge poore men whom they haue made poore with grieuous faults calling them Puritans worse thaÌ„ the Donatists exasperating setting on suche as be in authoritie againste them hauyng hytherto miserably handled them with reuilings depriuations
be And it is the common opinion of all writers that these words of Chryst do not condemne superioritie Lordeshippe or any suche lyke authoritie but the ambitious desire of the same and the tyrānical vsage thereof Musculus expounding these places sayth in this sorte VVhosoeuer vvill be great among you c. He sayth not no man ought to be chiefe among you vvhich he shoulde haue said if it had not ben lawful in the kingdome of God for some to be great and chiefe or if it had ben necessarie that all shoulde haue bene in all things equall the Celestiall spirits are not equal the stars be not equal the Apostles them selues vvere not equall Peter is found in many places to haue ben chiefe amōg the rest vvhich vve do not denie Therfore this is not Christes meaning to haue none great or chiefe among Christians seeing the very necessitie of our state requireth that some be superiours and betters so far is it from beeing repugnaunt to charitie In a common vveale it is necessarie that some should excell other so is it in a vvell ordered familie In like maner there must be in the Churche gouernours presidents rulers of vvhome Paule maketh mention Ro. 12. 1. Cor. 12. Heb. 13. As there is also in the body some principall mēbers some inferiour c. Therfore Christ doth not require that in his kingdome all should be equall but this he doth require that none should desire to be great or to be thought and counted chiefe Hitherto Musculus Which interpretation muste néedes be true else we may say that Christe in this place reiecteth and disalloweth the Princes and Magistrates of the Gentiles and also forbiddeth the same among Christians which is false and Anabaptisticall Likewise the same Musculus sayth that Chryste teacheth in this place what he ought to be in déede that desireth to beare rule ouer other to wit that he ought to be a seruaunt to other that is as he dothe interprete it to profite other and to serue for the cōmoditie of other for though the name of a prince and of a lorde be a name of honor and dignitie yet is it the office of a prince lorde to serue those which be vnder thē in gouerning of them carefully and in prouiding for their wealth and peace Moreouer the Greke wordes that Chryste vseth in all these places as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe signifie to rule with oppression and to rule as a man list Furthermore Christe doth not say that no man shall be great among them or beare rule but he sayth Quicunque voluerit inter vos magnus fieri c. He that desireth to be great among you c. To conclude it is manyfest that in Matthewe and Marke he reproueth the ambition of the sonnes of Zebedie who ambitiously desired the one to sitte on hys right hande the other on his lefte And in Luke the ambition of the rest of the Apostles who contended among themselues which of them should be greatest So that it is playne that these places suppresse ambition and desire of rule in all kinde of men and not superioritie not magistracie not iurisdiction in any kinde of persons Touching the place in the .23 of Mat. where Chryste said vnto his disciples Be not you called Rabbi call no man father be not called maisters Who is so ignorant to thinke that Christ forbiddeth by these wordes one Christen man to call another lorde maister father shal not children call their parents father shall not scholers call their teacher maister And shall not seruauntes call him master vnder whose gouernement they are Is it not lawfull for one to call an other maister doctour father lorde c Paule notwithstanding these wordes of Christ 1. Cor. 4. calleth himself their father and. 1. Ti. 2. he calleth himself the doctour of the Gētiles Wherfore it is manifest that these names be not here prohibited muche lesse the offices but only the pharisaicall ambitious and arrogant affection of superioritie As it is also manifest by this that foloweth VVho so euer exalteth himselfe c. And surely as Christe condemneth here the ambitious affectiō of such as ambitiously desire these names of superioritie so doth he in like maner cōdemne those who be so puffed vp with pride and arrogācie that they contemne and disdayne to call men in authoritie by the titles of their offices For pride contempt and arrogancie is as well in refusing to giue honoure and reuerence as it is in ambitious desiring the same But the chiefe purpose of Christe in this place is to teache vs not so to depende vpon men as though it were not lawfull to breake their decrées or to decline from their authoritie For there is one only Father Lorde and maister to whome wée are so bounde that by no meanes wée maye declyne at any tyme from hys preceptes These places therfore may be aptly alledged against the pride tyrannie and ambitiō of the Bishop of Rome whiche séeketh tyrannically to rule and not to profite But it maketh nothing at all against the lawfull authoritie of any other in any state or condition of men Howe aptly that place of the .24 of Mathew But if the euill seruaunt shall say in his heart c. is alleaged let all men iudge I thinke it forbiddeth not to punishe suche as breake good lawes But Lorde how these men are beaten which do as they liste say what they liste and that with reioycing thereto that is if they be no otherwise beaten than hitherto they haue bene they will not only with schismes and factions teare in sunder this Churche of Englande but in time ouerthrow the whole state of the common wealth To proue that either we muste haue a righte ministerie of God and a righte gouernement of his Church according to the Scriptures set vp c. or else there can be no right religion c. is alleaged the ninth of Matth. the fourth to the Ephe. and the eightenth of Math. In the ninth of Mat. the place they alleage is this Surely the haruest is great but the labourers be fevve vvherefore c. In the fourth to the Ephe. He therefore gaue some to be Apostle c. In the eightenth of Mathew If thy brother trespasse agaynst thee c. The first place declareth that Ministers of the words are necessarie in Christes Churche The seconde that there is diuers kindes and degrées of them And the thirde sheweth an order of correcting secrete sinnes and priuate offences and medleth not with those that be open and knowne to other Nowe therefore consider to what purpose those places be noted in the margente and howe little they proue that which is concluded As for all the rest of the places of Scripture that followeth noted in the margent of this preface I knowe not to what purpose they be alleaged but onely for vayneglorie to bleare the eyes of the ignorant people and to make them beléeue that all
readie and vvyllyng to obeye to obserue those thinges vvhyche are appoynted accordyng to this rule not to contemne them nor negligentely to omitte them so farre off ought they to be from breaking them openly through disdayne and contumacie But thou vvylte saye vvhat libertie of conscience can there bee in so precyse and straighte obseruyng of them Truly the libertie of conscience maye vvell stande vvith it yf vve shall consider that these Lavves and decrees to the vvhiche vve are bounde bee not perpetuall or suche as are not to bee abrogated but onely externall rudimentes of mans infirmities vvhereof notvvithstanding vve all stande not in neede yet vvee all vse them bycause one of vs is mutually bounde to an other to nourishe loue and Charitie among oure selues This vve maye learne in the examples vsed before VVhat dothe religion consiste in a vvomans vayle that by no meanes shee maye goe abroade bare headed Or is the commaundemente touching hir silence suche as it maye not be broken vvithout vvickednesse or is there any mysterie in kneeling or in burying the dead that may not be omitted vvithout great offence no truly For if such hast be required of a woman to helpe hir neighbour that shee can haue no leysure to couer hir head shee dothe not offende thoughe shee runne oute bare headed And there is a tyme and place vvhen and vvhere it is as meete for hir to speake as it is else where to holde hir peace Him also to praye standyng whiche beeing letted vvith some disease can not kneele there is nothyng forbiddeth To be short it is better in tyme to burye the dead than to tarrye for a vvynding sheete or some to carrie him vntill he stinke aboue the grounde But there is somevvhat euen in those thynges vvhiche the custome of Religion lavves and decrees humanitie it selfe and the rule of modestie vvilleth vs to doe and to take heede of vvherein if vve shall thorough ignoraunce and forgetfulnesse offende there is no synne committed But if thorough contempte or contumacie it is to be reproued In lyke maner it skilleth not vvhat dayes be appointed vvhat houres vvhat manner of places touchyng the buyldyng vvhat Psalmes are to bee song thys daye or that daye And yet there muste certayn dayes be appoynted and certaine houres and a place meete to receiue all if vve haue any respect to keepe vnitie and peace For vvhat confusion vvere it and of hovve greate contentions and bravvlyngs the seede and cause yf euery man as hee listeth myghte alter and chaunge those things whiche pertayne to the common state Seyng that it vvoulde neuer be brought to passe that one thyng coulde please all men if suche matters vvere lefte indifferente and committed to euery mannes arbitremente novve if anye man repyne or grudge and will heere seeme vvyser than it behoueth him let him consider by vvhat reason he can excuse his vvayvvardnesse to the Lorde Notvvithstanding that saying of Saincte Paule muste satisfye vs VVee haue no custome to contende neyther the Churches of God. Thus farre Caluine In whyche woordes wée haue these thyngs to consyder Fyrst that GOD hath in Scripture fully and playnely comprehended all those things that be necessarie to saluation Secondly that in Ceremonies and externall discipline hée hath not in Scripture particularly determined any thyng but lefte the same to hys Churche to make or abrogate to alter or contynue to adde or take awaye as shall be thoughte from tyme to tyme moste conuenient for the presente state of the Churche so that nothing be doone againste that generall rule of Saincte Paule 1. Cor. 14. Lette all things be doone decently and in order Thirdly that it is the dutie of a Christian man withoute superstition willingly to obey such constitutions not to contemne them not to neglect them muche lesse stubbornly and arrogantly to breake them Fourthly that the obseruyng of them taketh not libertie from the conscience bicause they be not made to be perpetuall and inuiolable but to be altered as tyme occasion and necessitie requireth Fifthely that all oughte to obeye suche ordinaunces for charitie sake thoughe all stande not in néede of them Sixthly that if a man do violate them by ignoraunce or forgetfulnesse he doth not offende if by contempte or stubbornesse he doth greatly offende Seuenthly that confusion which is to suffer euery man to doe what he list is the séede of contention and brauling Last of all that the true Ministers of God be not contentious neither yet the Churches of God. These things among other I thought good to note out of master Caluines words which if they were diligently considered such contentions might soone be ended Of the same iudgement in this matter is master Bucer as it apeareth in his Epistle to master Alasco These be his words If you vvill not admitte suche libertie and vse of vesture to this pure and holy Churche bicause they haue no commaundement of the Lorde nor example of it I do not see hovve you can graunt to any Churche that it may celebrate the Lordes Supper in the morning and in an open Churche especially consecrated to the Lorde that the Sacrament may be distributed to men kneeling or standing yea to vvomen asvvel as to men For vve haue receyued of these things neither commaundement of the Lorde nor any example yea rather the Lorde gaue a contrarie example For in the euening and in a priuate house he did make his Supper and distributed the Sacramentes and that to men onely and sitting at the table Hac Bucâ—rus But to ende this matter is it not as lawfull for a godly Prince with the aduise and consent of godly and learned Byshoppes and other of the wysest to make orders in the Churche and lawes Ecclesiasticall as it is for euery priuate man to vse what maner and forme of seruice he liste and other order and discipline in hys owne parishe which these men séeke and striue to do An examination of the places of Scripture alleaged in this portion of the admonition TO proue that nothing in this mortall life is more diligently to be sought for carefully to be looked vnto than the restitution of true religion and reformation of Gods Churche there is noted 2. Reg. 23. 2. Chron. 17. 2. Chron. 29.30.31 Psalm 132. Math. 21. Iohn 2. In the first place it is declared howe Iosiah after he had founde the booke of the Lawe reformed the Churche In the seconde place Iehosaphat tooke away the high places and groues out of Iuda c. In the. 29.30.31 of the. 2. Chron. is described the dooings of Ezechias in repayring the temple and reforming Religion c. In the. 132. Psalme it is declared with what care Dauid went about to build the temple of God after that he was once established in his kingdome In the. 21. of Math. Iesus went into the temple and caste out all them that solde and boughte in the temple c. the like he did in the seconde of Iohn All this is
vocation This is but your veyne of rayling and your vsuall manner of extolling your selues and condemning other But as I sayde before your wordes be no sclaunder neyther will I in words contend with you but therin giue you the vpper hande only I must still let you vnderstand of your foolish applying of scriptures For wherfore haue you here quoted the tenth of Iohn vse 1. Belike bycause Christ sayth there That he whiche doth not enter in by the dore into the sheepfolde but climbeth vp an other way is a theefe and a robber therfore all such as bée placed in this Churche of England your selues excepted enter in by a popish and vnlauful vocation You had gone orderly to worke if you had firste proued that we haue not come into the shéepfold by christ If you thus omitte the proofe of your minor you may conclude what you wil and quote scriptures at your pleasure But wyse and lerned men will lament your follie and laughe at your vnskilfulnesse Of making of ministers I haue spoken before and answered the places Actes 6.14 20. sufficiently As for the other two places Ro. 12. vse 6.7.8 and .1 Cor. 9. vse 16.17 I muse why you note them they nothing at all perteyning to the making of ministers they something touche their office yet not that directly But you must be borne with least you shoulde haue séemed to youre disciples to haue sayd nothing Some of those ministers you say may tarie in their Colledge and leade the liues of loytering losels as long as they liue If you knew any suche loytering losels in any Colledge I trust you would make them knowne to other also If you knowe none suche then are you a slaunderer of Colledges and suche as be in them It were to be wished in my opinion that there were many preachers in Colledges of greater continuance than I knowe any Then should not yong factious vnruly and vndiscrete persons so greately trouble with their contentions and sects bothe vniuersities and the whole realme also I knowe no Bishops that giue out Bulles but if such preachers as remayne in Colledges or elsewhere béeing thervnto licenced by the Bishop or other that haue authoritie doe take paynes to preach where they sée occasion they are greatly to be commended and I pray God encrease the nūber of such Circumcetiōs But since this your opinion hath bene broched it hath not only driuen many frō the ministerie but also caused diuers to loyter and cease from preaching And certainely if it be not in tyme prouided for that one braunch of your doctrine wil spoyle this Churche of England bothe of preachers and preachings The rest that you write in this parte I hope is more slaunderously of you spoken than truely notwithstanding I thinke there hathe bene some ouersighte in some men whiche I trust is and will be amended if not then I wishe that Cannon of the lawe to be put in practise that suche as admit them should also prouyde for them When you say that the Bishoppes of thys Realme reigne and rule by the Canon lawe you forgette your selfe you know it is otherwise Their chiefe authoritie they haue by Gods lawe the reste by the lawes of the Realme and of the Prince but these wordes are but wordes of course with you Admonition The seuentéenth We should be too long to tell youre honoures of Cathedrall Churches the dennes aforsayd of al loytering lubbers where master Deane master Vicedeane master Canons or master Prebendaries the greater master Petie canons or Canons the lesser master Chauncelor of the Churche master Treasorer otherwyse called Iudas the purse bearer the chief Chaunter Singing men speciall fauourers of religion squeaking Queristers Organ players Gospellers Pistellers Pentioners Readers Vergers c. liue in greate idlenesse and haue their abiding If you woulde knowe whence all these came we can easyly answere you that they came from the Pope as oute of the Troian horses belly to the distruction of Gods kingdome The Churche of God neuer knewe them neither doth any reformed church in the worlde know them Answere Here you speak both without the book of Cōmon prayers and scriptures also for neither are cathedral churches conteyned in that booke neyther haue you any scripture to proue that which you so impudently affirme God be thanked it is well knowne to those that be not with malice blinded that Cathedrall Churches be furnished with godly zelous and learned men And that they be the chiefe and principall ornaments of this Realme and next to the vniuersities chiefest mainteyners of godlinesse religion and learning there be some desire the spoyle of them whose instrumentes you be But I hope both their mouthes and yours also shal be firste stopped with earth Master Deane master vicedeane master Cānons c. as much as they loyter may thinke themselues fitte to be compared with such as you are in any respects The rest of your rayling words I leaue to the Authoure You say all these come from the Pope c. It is not materiall frō whence they come so they be good profitable and necessarie for the mainteyning of religion lerning wise and learned men But I pray you from what Pope came they or in what time did the Pope inuent them I told you before that such places and Colledges were in Augustines time and that he both hath the name of master Deane and alloweth of his office If you had redde any aunciente learned authours as your writings declare you haue not then shoulde you finde that Collegiate Churches be of great antiquitie euen since the yeare of our Lorde .235 But what can you speake against Cathedrall Churches which you may not aswell speake against the Colledges in the vniuersities They were not in the Apostles time neyther yet in the primatiue Church must they therefore nowe be dissolued your meaning is belike to bring al to cōfusion and barbarisme You say no reformed church in the worlde knoweth them wherin I thinke you speak more than you knowe Can you name any reformed Church that hath plucked them downe Peraduenture in dyuers places where the Gospell is now preached they had neuer suche rewardes for learning But what haue we to do in suche cases with other reformed Churches we haue to consider what is most méete for this Churche and state and not to follow other as though we were children I sée no cause why other reformed Churches should not rather followe vs than we them seing in no respecte we be inferior to them Well to conclude your wordes be but vayne and your proofes none at all And therefore I doubte not but Cathedrall churches shall be able to withstand both your opprobrious speaches and the gréedinesse of all their aduersaries so long as it shall please God to blesse thys land with so vertuous and learned a Quéene and so wise and discréete counsellours Admonition The eightéenth And birds of the same fether are couetous patrones of benefices persons vicars
but thereuppon to conclude that the ciuill magistrate is secluded from the gouernement of the Churche or that there néedeth no externall regiment is dangerous and sauoreth Anabaptisme In the same leafe and .19 reason these wordes be lefte out baÌ„ners and belles whiche argueth that they were before vntruly sayde to be vsed in gang wéeke But to lye is a small matter with these men Fol. 8. For Lords grace of Yorke there is the Archebishop of Yorke The cause of thys alteration I know not In the margent ouer against the 21. reason there is this note It conteyneth manifest blasphemy as may appeare Eâ—â—e 1.17 meaning this saying of the Byshop to those that are admitted ministers Receiue the holy Ghost The place in that Chapiter of the Epistle to the Ephesians proueth no suche thing these be the wordes I cease not to giue thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers that the God of our Lorde Iesus Christ the father of glory mighte giue vnto you the spirite of vvisedome and reuelation thorough the knovvledge of hym What sequele is there in this argument Saincte Paule prayed that God would giue to the Ephesians the spirite of wisedome and reuelation thorough the knowledge of him Ergo this saying of the Bishop Receiue the holy Ghost to those that are admitted into the ministerie conteyneth manifest blasphemy Such is your vsuall maÌ„ner of reasoning Fol. 9. and second article All this is added Neither is the controuersie betwixte them and vs as they woulde beare the worlde in hand as for a cap a tippet or a surplesse but for greater matters concerning a true ministerie and regimeÌ„t of the Church according to the word Which things once established the other melte away of them selues and yet consider I pray you whether their owne argumente doth not choke themselues for euen the very name of triftes doth playnly declare that they ought not to be mainteyned in Christes church and what shall our Bishops win by it Forsoth that they bee mainteyners of triftes and trifling Bishops consuming the greatest parte of theyr time in those trifles whereas they shoulde bee better occupied We striue for true religion and gouernement of the Churche and shew you the righte way to throw out Antichrist both head and taile and that we will not so much as communicate with the taile of the beast But they after they haue thrust out Antichriste by the head goe aboute to pull hym in againe by the tayle cunningly coulouring it least any manne should espye his foot steps as Cacus did when he stole the oxen What other men haue done I knowe not but for my parte I alwayes suspected and partely knewe that some of you had greater matters in hand and of more importance than cappe tippet and surplesse whiche surely was one of the first causes that moued me to be more earnest agaynst you than I was accustomed For I did vnderstand that you wer hatching opinions tending not only to Anabaptisme but to the ouerthrowe of the Gospel and disturbing the quiet state of this Churche And yet who knoweth not that you haue made the cap and Surplesse your pretence hitherto vntill nowe of late when you sée almost all men condemne your follie You say we choake our selues with our owne argumente for euen the very name of trifles doth playnly declare that they ought not to be maynteyned in Christes Church Surely of them selues they be but trifles as all other externall ceremonies and indifferent things bée It is the circumstaunces that maketh them no trifles but matters of weight For things indifferent béeing commaunded thus or so to bée vsed by the Magistrate not as necessarie to saluation iustificatioÌ„ but as conuenient and necessarie for order decencie bée not nowe trifles And who soeuer without a lawfull vrgente cause or in a case of necessitie dothe breake the law made of theÌ„ sheweth himselfe a disordered person disobediente a contemner of lawfull authoritie and a wounder of his weake brothers conscience And if any man shall saye that this is to bring vs agayne in bondage of the lawe and to depriue vs of our libertie I answere no for it is not a matter of Iustification but of order And to be vnder a lawe is no taking awaye of Christian libertie for the Christian libertie is not a licence to doe what thou list but to serue God in newnesse of mynde and that for loue not for seruile feare Of them selues therefore they vs but trifles but béeing commaunded by the Magistrate to be vsed or not to be vsed they are no trifles no more than it was for women to come into the Churche bareheaded or a man to praye hauing his cappe on his heade after that Saint Paule had made an order to the contrarie And therfore these scoffes and stoutes and what shall oute Bishoppes win by it forsoth that they bée maynteyners of trifles and triâ—ling Bishops consuming the greatest part of their tyme in these trifles where as they shoulde be better occupied myght with more commendation of youre modestie haue bene well forborne They see your doings tend not only to contention but to confusion not only to disobedience towardes the lawes of the Prince but also to daungerous errours yea to the ouerthrowe of religion and therfore they are neyther maynteyners of tryfles nor trifling Bishops but wyse discréete vigilant and learned fathers whyche séeke to mayntayne peace preserue good order defende the authoritie of lawfull lawes and in tyme suppresse erronious doctrine You rather spend the tyme in trifles when you might be better occupied for you omitting al other necessary pointes of doctrine and profitable exhortations to good lyfe stuffe your sermons and furnishe your table talke with nothing else but with bitter inuectiues agaynst those rytes as though they were matters of damnation and agaynst those learned and discréete ministers of the word who according to their dutie vsing of them séeke in déed to beate downe Antichriste to plante necessarie poyntes of religion in mennes heartes and to teache repentance with newnesse of life which your vnfrutefull froward and coÌ„tentious dealing reioyceth the Papist discrediteth the sound and lerned preacher offendeth the godlie wouÌ„deth the weake worketh contempte of Magistrates and superiors in the hearts of the hearers destroyeth that which other men buylde finally doth good to none For what frute can there come to the hearers by inueying continually against cappe tippet surplesse ring in mariage womens white kerchers bagpypes funerall sermons mourning apparel c. Bishops Preachers Magistrates Prince These and suche lyke be only the common places you entreate of When you saye that you stryue for true Religion and gouernemente of the Churche c. You saye â–ª that you dooe that â–ª whyche is to bée wyshed you shoulde doo But youre doings tende to the defacing of true Religion and ouerthrowe of the righte gouernement of the Churche and although you be not the head of Antichrist yet are you his taile
improba quasi dominatio videretur If they should be feared and not taughte it mighte seeme a wicked gouernaunce so I conclude with the other parte of the same sentence Si docerentur non terrerentur vetustate consuetudinis obdurarentur ad capescendaÌ„ viaÌ„ salutis pigrius mouereÌ„tur If they shold be taught and not feared in time they woulde waxe stubborne and be the hardlier moued to embrace the way of saluation ¶ A briefe viewe of the seconde Admonition I Haue also receyued a seconde Admonition to the ParliameÌ„t the Authoure whereof vndertaketh to teach how to reforme those things whiche the other Admonition found fault with I shall not néede to make any long discourse of it neyther will I The aunswere to the first Admonition is an answere to this also Only I thought it good to note vnto you that this booke consisteth of these points especially First it iustifieth the authours of the first Admonition séemeth to complaine that they haue not iustice bicause they appealing to the highest Courte of Parliament their appeale woulde not be receiued And therefore they say the scripture is plaine that it shal be easier for Sodom Gomorra in the day of iudgement than for suche a Courte meaning the Court of Parliament they quote for that purpose in the margent the .10 of Math. vers 14.15 which is a shameful prophanation of the scripture an egregious slander to that honorable Courte The iustnesse of the appeale I leaue to the Iustices and skilfull lawyers to be considered of for it is not within the compasse of my facultie Only I thinke that that scroule can haue no defence of Parliament first bycause it is a Libell secondly bicause it was published in printe before the Parliament was made priuie vnto it In this parte these words of theirs would be wel considered there is no other thing to be looked for than some speedy vengeance to light vppon the whole lande prouide as well as the politique Macheuills of EnglaÌ„d thinke they can though God do his worst It would be knowne whome they meane by these politique Macheuills For they enuie all men of great authoritie wit and pollicie The seconde parte consisteth only of rayling wordes and slanderous accusatioÌ„s first against this whole church of England for they say that we are scarce come to the outward face of a church rightly reformed and that althogh some truth be taught by some preachers yet no preacher may without greate danger of the lawes vtter all truth comprised in the booke of god c. And a litle after they ad say that the truth in a manner doth but peepe out behind the screene which speches as they be very vntrue for who knoweth not that the Gospel is wholy publikely fréely preached in this church of EnglaÌ„d so they be slanderous neither can the Papists speak any worse In this part also to proue that this is no true saying in maters of pollicie gouernmeÌ„t it is not repugnaÌ„t to the word of god therfore it may be vsed is alledged this saying of Christ. Math. 12. He that is not with me is against me But they haue forgoteÌ„ the words of christ Mar. 9. qui non est aduersus nos pro nobis est He that is not against vs is with vs. Wherevpon we may much better coÌ„clude that that which is not repugnaÌ„t to the scripture is consonaÌ„t to the Scripture than they can doo the contrary of the former place Notwithstanding in both these places as I thinke Christe speaketh rather of men and persons than of things themselues In the same parte their speach of the Quéenes supremacie is very suspicious it would be demaunded of theÌ„ what they think in déede of hir maiesties authoritie in ecclesiastical matters for in this pointe they haue hitherto delte very subtilly and closely notwithstaÌ„ding their meaning may easily be perceiued of such as diligently coÌ„sider their bookes Likewise in this parte they note certayne contrarieties in this Churche as betwixte the Communion boke and Iniunctions touching wafers the Communion booke and Aduertisementes concerning Churche vestures the Cannons and the PoÌ„tificall in not ordering of ministers sine titulo and such like matters of no importance which iustifie rather this church thaÌ„ otherwise for surely if they had had weightier matters they would no doubt haue alledged them But in these same matters they are muche deceiued for as I suppose in matters of ornaments of the Church and of the ministers thereof the Quéenes maiestie togither with the Archbishop or the commissioners in causes ecclesiastical haue authoritie by Acte of parliameÌ„t to alter and appointe such rytes and ceremonies as shall from time to time be thought to them most conueniente To be shorte in that pointe they saye that in thinges of order one Churche maye many times differ from another without offence following the generall rules of scripture for order as in appointing time and place for prayers c. whiche is a very true saying and flat contrary to all that is saide either in the first admonitioÌ„ or in this second For if such things may be appointed in the church not being expressed in the word of God but depending vppon this generall rule Let all thinges be done decently and in order 1. Cor. 14. then surely the magistrate hath authoritie in such matters to appoint what shall be thought vnto them most conuenient so that it be not repugnant to â—o y word of God excepte you will make this the question whether in suche matters we oughte to be directed by the magistrates and gouernours of the Churche or by euery priuate pastoure in his seuerall charge The thirde parte of this booke condemneth the degrées of Doctors Bachilers of diuinitie and Masters of arte in the vniuersities and slaunderously vntruly and opprobriously speaketh of the vniuersities and suche as be in them presumptuously prescribing a manner of reformation for the same when as I thinke verily they knowe not what Uniuersities meane But here we may note that they séeke to ouerthrowe al learning and degrées of learning The same parte also very slaunderously and vnchristianly rayleth on some bishops by name and the rest of the clergie charging them most vn truly with sundrie things but bycause it is done by way of libelling a diuelishe kinde of reuenge therefore I trust godly and wise men will estéeme of it accordingly Besides slaunderous reports and opprobrious words there is nothing in thys parte worthy the answering In the fourth parte the Authoure taketh vppon him to set downe a plat forme of a Churche to prescribe the manner of electing ministers of their exercises of theyr equalitie of the gouernement of the Church c. Whiche surely being well considered wil appeare not only a confused plateforme without any sounde warrant of Gods worde but also a fantasticall deuise tending to the ouerthrowe of learning religion yea the whole state and gouernement of the common welth But bicause I haue
¶ An answere to a certen Libel intituled An admonition to the Parliament By IOHN VVHITGIFTE D. of Diuinitie 1. COR. 8.2 If any man thinke that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to knowe 1. COR. 11.16 If any man be contentious we haue no suche custome neyther the Churches of God. GALA 5.26 Let vs not be desirous of vayne glorie prouoking one another enuying one another ¶ Imprinted at London by Henrie Bynneman for Humfrey Toy Anno. 1572. ¶ To his louing Nurie the Christian Church of England I. VV. a member and minister of the same vvisheth peace in Christ and continuance of his glorious gospell euen to the vvorlds ende THere bee diuers thinges especially fiue that wheÌ„ I first tooke this labour in hande had almost vtterly dissuaded me from the same First bycause I doe with all my hart hate contention and strife and especially in matters of religion among such as professe the selfe same Gospell Secondly for that I feared gretly least some slander might redounde to the Gospell by this open contention séeing that God is not the authour of contention or confusion but of peace Thirdly I doubted whether this kinde of dealing by writing might minister matter to the common aduersaries of the Gospell to reioyce and glorie and to flatter them selues the more in their damnable errors Fourthly I greatly suspected the slanderous reportes of the backbiter and of the vnlearned tonâ—ue â–ª the 〈◊〉 bycause he loueth to speake euill and heare euill of all those that be not in all pointes inclinable to his phansie whereof I haue great experience being my selfe most vniustlye slandered by that viperous kinds of men the other bycause they be not able to iudge of controuersies according to learning and knowledge and therefore are ruled by affection carried hedlong with blind zeale into diuers sinister iudgementes erronious opinions Lastlye bycause I knowe sundrie in all respectes worthie men much more able to deale in suche matters than I am But when I considered my dutie towardes God to his Churche and to our most gracious Lady and soueraigne Elizabeth hir Maiestie by whose ministerie God hath giuen his Gospell frée passage vnto us the first stoppe and hinderaunce was answered For I thought that that dutie ought not to be omitted for any such cause séeing God and not man shall be my Iudge and also that not he which defendeth the truthe and confuseth errours but he that impugneth the truthe and spreddeth sectes is the authour of contention Likewise when I remembred the it was no new thing to haue contentions sectes schismes in the Churche of Christ especially when it enioyeth externall peace and that we had manifest examples therof from time to time first in Peter Paule ad Gala. 2. Paule Barnabas Acto 15 then in the Churche of the Corinthians 1. Cor. 1. and .3 Afterwardes betwixt the orientall Church occidentall Church touching Easter such like matters Betwixt the Bishops of Aphrica and the Bishops of Italie for rebaptising of heretikes sundrie times yea vsuallie in the external peace of the church as may be more at large séene in Eusebius Lib. 4. eccle histo ca. 6. lib. 5. ca. 24.25.26 li. 8. c. Likewise in Ruffinus li. 1. ca. 1. In Zozom Li. 6. ca. 4. In Basilius magnus epist. 61. ad fratres Episcopas in accidente epist. 69. and in sundrie other auncient and learned histories and writers For the second point I was satisfied for I thought that that could be no slander to this Church which by the malice of Sathan hath bene practised in all Churches euen synce the ascention of Christ. Thirdly when I perceiued the these men against whome I nowe write did agree with the aduersaries in defacing the state of religion the order of coÌ„mon prayers the ministerie the sacramentes the kind of gouermeÌ„t c. vsed and allowed in this realme of England and that in as opprobrious spitefull manner as the aduersaries do likewise that they séeke to ouerthrow the selfe same pillers of this Church with the aduersaries although not by the selfe same meanes I thought that the confutation and ouerthrowe of the one should be the confutation ouerthrow of the other and therefore the aduersaries to haue small cause in déed of reioycing Against backbiters slanderers and vnlearned tongs I shall by Gods grace arme my selfe with pacience for their taulke is no sufficient cause for a man to absteyne from dooing his dutie To conclude I although the vnworthiest and vnméetest of a great nuÌ„ber was bold to take vpon me this enterprise partly to shew that the booke called the Admonition is not such but that it may easily be answered and especially to satisfie mine owne coÌ„science for I coÌ„sidered that if no man had taken vpon him the enuie of the coÌ„mon sort in withstanding the enterprises procéedings of the Anabaptists wheÌ„ they began in Germanie Anabaptisme had ouerrunne those Churches vtterly destroyed them These were the reasons that satisfied the former obiections and especiallye moued me to take vppon me this labour wherewith if I can also satisfie others I haue my desire if not yet haue I done my dutie and satisfied mine owne conscience And for asmuche as the matter toucheth the state of the whole Church of England I thought it most méete to dedicate this my booke rather vnto the same generally than to any one particuler member thereof protesting that if I haue affirmed any thing therein that by learning and good reasons may be proued erronious I will reforme the same for I wholly submit it to the rule of Gods worde and the iudgement of those that he learned discrete wise The Lord blesse the o deare spouse of Christ with the continuance of his Gospell of the Quenes Maiestie and of godlye peace and quietnesse Amen A briefe examination of the reasons vsed in the booke called an Admonition to the Parliamente FIrst in that booke the scripture is most vntollerably abused and vnlearnedly applyed quoted only in their margent to delude both such as for lacke of learning can not and suche as either for slouthfulnesse or some preiudicate opinion will not examine the same as I haue particulerly declared in my aunswere following Secondly their proofes consist especially of these arguments The first is ab eo quod est secundum quid ad id quod simplicitorest as such and such things were not in the Apostles time Ergo they ought not to be nowe Whiche kinde of argumente is very deceiptfull and the mother and welspring of many both olde and newe schismes of old as of them that called them selues Apostolicos and of the Aërians of new as of Anabaptists who considering neither the diuersitie of times concerning the externall ecclesiastical pollicie nor the true libertie of the christian religion in externe rytes and ceremonies in matters neither commaunded nor forbidden in Gods lawe nor the authoritie of Christian magistrates in
the Christian congregation concerning the same haue boldely enterprised to stirre vp many and heynous errours For if these reasons should take place the Apostles vsed it not Ergo it is not lawfull for vs to vse it or this either they did it Ergo we must needes do it then no Christians may haue any place to abide in they maye haue no Christian Princes no ministration of sacraments in Churches and suche like for the Apostles had no place to abide in they had no Christian Princes to gouerne them no churches to minister sacraments in c. Likewise we must haue al things common we must departe with al our possessions when we be conuerted to the Gospell baptise abroade in the fields minister the communion in priuate houses only be alwayes vnder the crosse and vnder Tyrants and such like For the Apostles had al thinges common departed from their possessions baptized abroade in fieldes ministred the communion in priuate houses were alwayes vnder persecutors and Tyrants c. 2. Another kind of argumente is much like vnto this and is taken ab authoritate negatinè which in matters of saluation and damnation holdeth when we reason ab authoritate scripturae from the authoritie of the scripture but not else For this argument it is not commaunded in the scripture to be done nor there expressed Ergo it ought not to be done is so far out of the way and so erronious that it is not tollerable for it taketh away the most parte of all due circumstances without the which either after one manner or other the very institutions of Christ cannot be obserued For how is it possible to receiue the holy Communion but either sitting standing knéelling walking or lying either at one time or other in the morning or at night before meate or after meate clothed or naked in this place or in that place c. and yet none of these circumstances are in scripture commaunded or by necessary collection may thereof be gathered the same is to be said of the obseruatioÌ„ of times of common prayers and other conuenient and necessarie orders in the Church If this argumente were good then all good lawes and ordinances made for the aduancing of true religion and establishing of good orders were to be abolished whiche were the very roote and welspring of stubbornesse obstinacie sedition disobedience and confusion 3. The third kind of argument is called petitio principij whiche is when a man frameth vnto himselfe principles of his owne deuise grounded neither vpon authoritie neither yet upon substantial reason and then vpon the same will conclude his purpose which is vit â—â—sissimum genâ—â— argumentands a very erronious kynde of reasoning as these men doo in vsing these two false principles the one when they say that to be inuented by an Antichristian Pope which was not so inuented the other when they say that nothing may be vsed in the Church of Christ which was inuented by the Pope or vsed in the Popes Churche which can not be true as in sundrie places of the boke I haue declared The selfe same reasons moued the Aërians to forsake the order of the Churche and to commaunde their Disciples to do the contrarie of that that the Church did We borrow good lawes of the Gentiles and we vse the Churches Belles Pulpits and many other things vsed of Papists c. 4. The fourthe kynde of reason is of negatiues by comparison as this Priestes and Ministers are to be known by their doctrine not by their apparel Ergo they ought not to haue distinct apparell from other men This argumente followeth not for negatives by comparison are not simplie to be vnderstanded but by the way coÌ„parison And therefore of the former sentence thus we may conclude that the apparell is not to be estéemed as a note of difference in comparison to learning doctrine and yet a note As when Paule sayth that Chryst sente him not to baptise but to preache the Gospell 1 Cor. 1. And God by his Prophete I wil have mercy and not sacrifice Ose. 6. and Mat. 9. 5. The fift is ab eo quod est non causam vt causam ponere vvhen that is taken for the cause of any thing vvhich is not the cause as when they condemne the booke of common prayer and a prescript forme of seruice bycause as they say it mainteineth an vnlerned or as they term it a reading ministerie wheÌ„ as the boke is not the cause of it neither yet a prescripte forme of prayer but either the parties themselues that be vnlearned or they that do admitte them or else both This kind of argument is vsuall in the Admonition There be other vnlearned and vnskilfull reasons vsed in this booke whiche may easily be discerned euen of children and therefore I here omit them Thus much I thought good generally to write which being duly considered the booke it selfe needeth no other kinde of confutation To the Christian Reader I Am not ignorant to what dangers especially of vncharitable slanderous tongs I haue made my selfe subiecte by taking vpon me this worke notwithstanding my reaconing is made and I have armed my selfe against the worst being taught so to do by the opprobrious speach of diuers who as busy bodies intermedling in other mens matters more than it becommeth them do therof iudge most vnchristianly and reporte most vntruly beleuing as partial Iudges whatsoeuer is reported howsoeuer falsely and vniustly But as I with all my harte for my parte forgiue them and wish vnto them more Christian hartes indifferent eares and charitable mouthes So do I exhorte thée Christian reader to abstaine from all suche rancor and other partiall and sinister affections in reading of this my booke And thinke of me as of one that to speake the truth to testifie his conscience to mainteyne the peace and quietnesse of the Churche to withstande erronious opinions or contentious doctrine will neither spare his laboure nor his fame and yet not so stiffely addicted to his owne opinion but that he can be contented to submitte hym selfe to better authoritie and reasons than he him selfe hath And I besée thée receyue this admonition at my hande Trie before thou trust beleue not lightly euery reporte as thou hast two eares so vse them both condemne no maÌ„ before he be heard abstaine from speaking euill of any wheÌ„ he is not present to make thée answere for that is a great iniurie respect not the person but the cause and let not euery pretenced zeale carrie thée headlong thou knowest not whether and suspende thy iudgement of this booke vntill thou hast aduisedly and indifferently redde the same Correction of faultes escaped in this booke In the ende of the Epistle dedicatorie for O deare spouse reade O deare spouse of Christ Folio 23. line 8. for est reade sunt Fol. 32. lin 34. for the trusteth reade he trusteth Fol. 33. lin 24. for are not come read are not scarce come Fol. 42. lin 20.
for all do not so read but all do not so Fol. 73. lin 23. for Anthomum read Antoninum Fol. 104. lin 20. for baptized by faith read baptized faith Fol. 115. lin 26. in these words put out in Fol. 211. lin 2. not the charge put out one the Fol. 287. in the margent for 1. Tim. 1.2 read 1. Tim. 5.2 Fol. 231. lin 26. for by changing read the changing Fol. 232. lin 11. for pulleth read poulleth Fol. 242. lin 8. for disobedience read obedience Fol. 244. in the margent for 1. Tim. 1.2 read 1. Tim. 3.2 In Gualters epistle in latin lin 9. for Non read Nam and lin 17. for episculor read exosculor and lin 30. for rogabant read rogabat In the same epistle in englysh line 3. for only read olde In the 5. page and 4. line of the answere to the Pamphlets for impuritie read impunitie ¶ An Exhortation to suche as bee in authoritie and haue the gouernement of the Church committed vnto them whether they be Ciuile or Ecclesiasticall Magistrates COnsideryng the strangenes of the time the varietie of mennes myndes and the maruellous inclinations in the cōmon sorte of persons especially where the gospel is most preached to imbrace newe inuented doctrines and opinions thoughe they tende to the disturbing of the quiet state of the Churche the discrediting and defacing of such as be in authoritie and the maynteining of licenciousnesse and lewde libertie I thought it good to set before your eyes the practises of the Anabaptistes their conditions and qualities the kinde and maner of their beginnings and procéedings before the broching of their manyfolde and horrible heresies to the intent that you vnderstanding the same may the rather in tyme take héede to suche as procéede in like maner least they béeing suffred too long burst out to woorke the same effect I accuse none only I suspect the authors of this admonition their fautours What cause I haue so to doe I referre to your selues to iudge after that I haue set foorth vnto you the Anabaptisticall practises euen as I haue lerned in the writings of such famous and learned men as had themselues experience of them when they firste began in Germanie and did both personally reason with them and afterwardes very learnedly write agaynst them neyther will I in this poynt write one worde whiche I haue not mine author to shewe for 1 Firste Anabaptisme tendeth to this ende that in these places where the Gospel hath ben for a tyme preached and where Churches be reformed the Gospel may be hindered the churches disquieted the simple brought to doubt of the religion that hath ben taught them contentious and vnquiet mynds may haue matter to work on the preaching of the Gospell become odious finally that magistrates and suche as bée in authoritie may bée contemned and despysed of their subiects and inferiours 2 Secondly they bitterly inueyed agaynst ministers and preachers of the Gospell saying that they were not ordinarily and laufully called to the ministerie bycause they were called by the Magistrate and not by the people that they preached not the Gospell truly that they were Scribes and Phariseis that they had not those things whiche Pause required in a minister 1. Timo. 3. That they did not themselues those things whiche they taught vnto other that they had stipendes and labored not and therefore were ministers of the belly That they coulde not teache truely bycause they had greate liuings and liued wealthily and pleasantly that they vsed not theyr authoritie in excommunication that they attributed too muche vnto the Magistrate 3 Thirdely the whole reformation that was then in the Churche displeased them as not spirituall ynoughe and perfecte For the Sacramentes were not as they sayde syncerely mynistred things were not reduced to the Apostolike Churche Excommunication not ryghtly vsed no amendement of lyfe appeared synce the preaching of the Gospel therfore the Church then reformed no more the true Church of Christ than was the Papisticall churche 4 Fourthly they had theyr priuate and secrete conuenticles and did diuide and separate themselues from the Churche neyther woulde they communicate wyth suche as were not of their secte eyther in prayers Sacramentes or hearing the woorde 5 Fifthly they compted all them as wicked and reprobate whiche were not of their sect 6 Sixthly they pretended in all theyr dooyngs the glorie of God the edifying of the Churche and the puritie of the Gospell 7 They earnestly cryed oute agaynste pryde gluttonie c. They spake muche of mortification they pretended greate grauitie they sighed muche they seldome or neuer laughed they were verye austere in reprehendyng they spake gloriouslye To bée short Magna varia erat ipsorum hypocrisis they were greate hypocrites thereby to winne authoritie to their heresie among the simple and ignorant people 8 If they were at any time punished for their errors they greatly complayned that nothing was vsed but violence that the truthe was oppressed that innocent and godly men which would haue all things reformed according to the worde of God could not be hearde nor haue libertie to speake That Zuinglius stopped their mouths and defended his cause not by the worde of God but by the authoritie of the magistrate 9 They founde greate faulte wyth the baptizyng of children and ceremonies vsed in the same But afterward did vtterly condemne it 10 They taught that the ciuile magistrate hath no authoritie in Ecclesiasticall matters and that he ought not to meddle in causes of religion and fayth 11 That no man ought to be compelled to faith and to religion 12 That Christians ought to punish faultes not with imprisonement not with the sword or corporall punishment but only with excommunication 13 They complayned muche of persecution 14 They bragged that they woulde defend their cause not onely with wordes but with the shedding of theyr bloud also 15 Their whole intēt was to make a separation and a schisme and to withdrawe men from their ordinarie Churches and pastours and therfore most odiously they inueyed against such pastours and sought by all meanes to discredite them 16 There was no stay in them but dayly they inuented new opinions and did runne from errour to errour 17 They were very stubborne and wilful which they called constancie they were weywarde and frowarde without all humanitie they iudged and condemned all other men 18 They sought to ouerthrowe common weales and states of gouernement 19 They gaue honor and reuerence to none and they vsed to speake to such as were in authoritie without any signification of honour neyther would they call men by their titles and they answered churlishly 20 They attributed much vnto themselues pleased themselues very well other men they contemned and therfore their myndes were full of pride and contempt 21 They went not to preache in such places wher the Gospell was not planted but
that which is written in this booke is nothing else but Scripture it selfe They haue delt very subtilly to cote the places onely and not to set them downe in playne words for by this meanes they thinke that of the moste parte it shall neuer be vnderstanded howe vnaptly and to what small purpose they be alleaged This name Puritane is very aptely giuen to these men not bicause they be pure no more than were the Heretikes called Cathari but bicause they think them selues to be mundiores cateris more pure than others as Cathari dyd and seperate them selues from all other Churches and congregations as spotted and defyled Bicause also they suppose the Church which they haue deuised to be without all impuritie An answere to the admonition Admonition SEing that nothing in this mortall life is more diligently to be sought for and carefully to be looked vnto than the restitution of true religion reformation of Gods church it shall be your partes dearly beloued in this present Parliament assembled as muche as in you lieth to promote the same and to employ your whole labour and studie not onely in abandoning all Popish remnants bothe in ceremonies regiment but also in bringing in and placing in Gods churche those things onely which the Lord himselfe in his word cōmandeth Because it is not enough to take paynes in taking away euil but also to be occupied in placing good in the stead therof Now because many men see not all things and the worlde in this respect is maruellously blinded it hath bene thoughte good to prosfer to your godly considerations a true platforme of a Churche reformed to the ende that it beeing layd before your eyes to beholde the great vnlikenesse betweene it this our English church you may learne either with perfect hatred to detest the one and with singular loue to embrace and carefull endeuour to plant the other or else to be without excuse before the maiestie of oure God who for the discharge of our conscience and manifestation of his truth hath by vs reuealed vnto you at this present the sinceritie and simplicitie of his Gospell Not that you should either wilfully with stande or vngratiously tread the same vnder your feete for God doth not disclose his wyll to any suche end but that you should yet now at the length with al your mayne and might endeuour that Chryst whose easie yoke and lyghte burthen we haue of long time cast of from vs mighte rule and reigne in his Church by the scepter of his worde onely Aunswere I Will not aunswere words but matter nor bare affirmations or negations but reasons and therfore in as few words as I can I will comprehende many lines But before I enter into their reasons I thinke it not amisse to examine that assertion which is the chiefe and principall grounde so farre as I can gather of their Booke that is that those things onely are to bée placed in the Churche which the Lorde him selfe in his worde commaundeth As though they shoulde say nothing is to be tollerated in the Churche of Chryste touching either doctrine order ceremonies discipline or gouernement except it he expressed in the worde of god And therfore the most of their argumentes in this booke be taken ab authoritate negatiuè which by the rules of Logique proue nothing at all It is moste true that nothing ought to be tolerated in the Churche as necessarie vnto saluation or as an article of faith except it be expresly conteined in the worde of God or may manifestly therof be gathered and therfore we vtterly condemne reiect Transubstantiation the sacrifice of the Masse the authoritie of the bishop of Rome woorshipping of Images c. And in this case an argumente taken Ab authoritate Scripturae negatiuè is most strong As for example It is not to be found in Scripture that the Bishop of Rome ought to be the head of the Church and therfore it is not necessarie to saluation to beléeue that he ought to be the head of the Churche c. It is also true that nothing in ceremonies order discipline or gouernement in the Churche is to be suffered béeing against the worde of God And therfore wee reiect all ceremonies wherein there is any opinion to saluation woorshipping of God or merite As créeping to the crosse holy breade holy water holy candle c. But that no ceremonie order discipline or kynde of gouernement may be in the Churche except the same be expressed in the worde of God is a great absurditie and bréedeth many inconueniences The Scripture hath not prescribed any place or time wherin or when the Lords Supper shoulde be celebrated neyther yet in what manner The Scripture hath not appoynted what tyme or where the congregation shall méete for common prayer and for the hearing of the worde of God neyther yet any discipline for the correcting of suche as shall contemne the same The scripture hath not appoynted what daye in the wéeke should be moste méete for the Sabboth day whether Saterday whiche is the Iewes Sabboth or the day now obserued which was appointed by the church The Scripture hath not determined what forme is to be vsed in Matrimonie what woordes what prayers what exhortations The Scripture speaketh not one woorde of standing sitting or knéelyng at the Communion of méetyng in Churches fieldes or houses to heare the word of God of preaching in pulpets chaires or otherwise of baptizing in fontes in basons or riuers openly or priuatly at home or in the churche euery day in the wéeke or on the Sabboth day only And yet no man as I suppose is so simple to thinke that the Church hathe no authoritie to take order in these matters I pray you what mente Sainct Paule in the .1 Corinth 14. after he had prescribed certayne orders vnto them to bée obserued in the Churche thus generally to conclude Omnia decenter ordine fiant Lette all things be doone decently and in order Dothe hée not there giue vnto them authoritie to make orders in the Churche so that all thynges hée doone in order and decently The best interpreters doo vnderstande this as a general rule giuen vnto the churche to examine hir traditions and constitutions by And therefore without all doubte their iudgemente is that the Churche hath authoritie in external things to make orders and appoynte lawes not expressed in the woorde of GOD so that thys rule of the Apostle bée obserued Nowe if eyther godly Councels or auncient fathers were any thing at all regarded of these men as they be not suche is their arrogancie this controuersie mighte soone be decided For the most auncient fathers and best learned as Iustinus Martyr Irenaeus Tertulian Cypriā and other do expresly declare that euen from the Apostles tyme the Churche hath always had authoritie in suche matters and hath obserued diuers orders ceremonies not once mencioned in the worde of God.
known by voyce learning and doctrine the seconde place in that chapter alleâ—ged verse .73 is this They that stode by sayde vnto Peter surely thou arte also one of them For euen thy speeche bevvrayeth thee Peter was suspected by his spéeche to be a Galilean and therefore one of Christes apostles Ergo a mynister was then knowne by voyce learning and doctrine You may as well of that place gather thus Peter preached not Chryste then but denyed hym Ergo a mynister must be knowne by denying of Chryst. Lorde God what dare not these men alledge for theyr purpose I knowe that the chiefe tokens whereby a mynister oughte to be knowne is doctryne and learnyng But you childyshly abuse the Scripture and playe wyth the same Nowe you say ministers must be discerned from other by Popishe and Antichrystian apparell as cappe gowne tippet c. doe you thinke that bycause a minister ought to be knowne by his voyce learning and doctrine therefore he maye not be also knowne by his apparell Iohn the Baptist had peculiar apparel and was knowne by it Christe had distinct apparell from other for hys coate had neuer a seame Eusebius sayth that Sainct Iohn the Apostle ware on his head a leafe or thinne plate lyke vnto a Bishops miter But what if none of the Prophetes what if none of the Apostles whiche you are not able to proue eyther of the prophets or apostles were knowne by their apparel May not therefore Christian magistrates in Christian common weales for order and decencie appoynt a seuerall kinde of apparell as well to mynisters as to other states of men â—udges Sergeantes Aldermen and Citizens are knowne by their apparell and why may not ministers be so lykewise are they not vnder subiection be they not subiect to ciuile lawes and ordinances ought they not to obey their gouernors in all things not against the worde of God If you doubte whether a particuler kynde of apparell differing from the laye men were euer appoynted for ministers in the Churche before the Popes tyrannye and whether in these dayes it maye bee appoynted in refourmed Churches or no heare the iudgement of mayster Bulliâ—ger and mayster Gualter in an Epistle written by them to mayster N. and mayster M. Theyr woordes be these That in the auncient Churche there vvas a particuler fashion of apparell for Priestes it appereth in the Ecclesiasticall historie of Theodoret. libr. 2. cap. 27. and of Socrat. libr. 6. cap. 22 No man is ignorant vvhich hathe but lightly read ouer the monumentes of the auncient fathers but that the ministers vsed a cloake in their seruice And therefore I sayde before that the diuersitie of garmentes had not his originall of the Pope Eusebius citeth out of the auncient vvriters that saincte Iohn the Apostle vvare on his head a leafe or thin plate like vnto a Bishops miter Pontius Diaconus vvitnesseth of saint Cyprian the martyr that vvhen he offered his necke to the executioner he first gaue him his cap and the Deacon his vpper garment and so stoode apparelled in vvhite linnen Moreouer Chrysostome maketh mention of vvhite apparell of ministers Hitherto Bullinger and Gualter Peter Martyr likewise in an Epistle written to maister Hoper sayth on this sorte I vvill not graunte that these diuersities of vestures haue their beginnings of the Pope for so muche as I reade in the Ecclesiasticall historie hovve that Iohn the Apostle vvore at Ephesus vvhere he dvvelled a Bishops apparell terming it Petalum seu lamina Pontificalis As touching saincte Cyprian the holie martyr Pontius the deacn vvriteth that a little before he should be beheaded he gaue vnto him that vvas appoynted to behead him his vesture called Birrus after hee had put it of and to the deacons he gaue his other vesture called Dalmatica and so stoode in linnen Chrysostome maketh mention of the vvhite vesture of the ministers of the Churche Haec ille Socrates also in the seconde booke of his Ecclesiasticall historie saith that the father of Eustathius being bishop of Cesarea did depriue the sayd Eustathius his son beyng a préest of his place and dignitie bicause he wore apparell not comly for a préest to wear nor agréeable to his order Therefore it is certaine that ministers euen from the Apostles tyme haue had a distinct and seuerall kynde of apparell from other men But cappe gowne tippet c. You saye is Popishe and Antichristian This is only sayd and not proued If you call it Popishe and Antichristian bicause it was first inuented by an Antichristian Pope It is first to be considered whether that be true or no. Then if it be true whether euery thing so inuented is of necessitie to be abolished It is certain that this apparel of ministers which you fynde your selues so muche gréeued with was appoynted long before the Churche of Rome declined from the puritie of Chrystes religion for Stephanus bishoppe of Rome who liued the yeare of our Lorde .256 is sayde to be the first which did appoynt this kinde of apparell for ministers neither are you able to shew that any antichristian Pope inuented the same But admit it were so that this apparell was eyther borowed of the Iewes or taken from the Gentiles or inuented vsed by some Antichristian Pope yet it followeth not but that the same may be wel vsed of Christians in the Churche of Christ. Augustine in his epistle ad Publicolam hath this notable saying Et cum templa idola luci si quid huiusmodi data potestate euertuntur quamuis manifestum est cum id agimus non ea nos honorare sed potius detestari ideo tamen in vsus nostros priuatos duntaxat proprios non debemus inde aliquid vsurpare vt appareat nos pietate ista destruere non auaritia Cum vero in vsus communes non proprios ac priuatos vel in honorem dei veri conuertuntur hoc de illis fit quod de ipsis hominibus cum ex sacrilegis impijs in veram religionem mutaÌ„tur c. VVhen temples idols groues and such like things by authoritie be ouerthrovvne although it is manifest when we do that vve honor them not but detest them yet for al that vve may not therefore conuerte them or vse them to our ovvne priuate vses only and commoditie that it may appeare that we destroy them for religion sake and not for couetousnesse but when they are conuerted not into priuate and our owne vse but into common vses or to the honor of the true God that is done and broughte to passe in them which is done and broughte to passe in men themselues when of Idolaters and wicked persons they are chaunged into true religion This hath God him selfe taughte in those testimonies which thou thy selfe hast vsed vvhen as god him selfe commaunded that of that same groue vvhich vvas dedicated to straunge Gods there should be wood taken for his sacrifices and of Hierico that all the golde and siluer and brasse
and prouoke the Queenes maiestie and bring many faithfull ministers in such daunger as they cānot ridde themselues out of againe Hitherto Bullinger I haue the rather set downe these mens sayings at large bycause they be both pithie learned and wholy to the cōfutatiō of your assertion Wherefore I cōclude that a Christian magistrate may retayne any ciuill politique or Ecclesiasticall orders and rites of whomesoeuer they were inuēted or howsoeuer they haue bin abused so that First they be not against the word of god Secondly that iustification and remission of sinnes be not attributed vnto them Thirdly that the Churche be not troubled wyth the multitude of them Fourthly that they be not decréede as necessarie and not to be chaunged And last of all that men be not so tyed vnto them but that by occasion they maye bée omitted so that it be withoute offence and contempte Yet one thing I must admonish you of that there is a difference to be made betwixte those things which were wholy dedicated to false gods and to be vsed in the worshipping of them and those things which were vsed in the false worshipping of the true God for the Papists herein differ from the Gentiles that they acknowledge and confesse the true God and beleue the same articles of faith that we do but yet worship him not arighte nor beleue on him in all points as the word of God prescribeth And therefore if things abused of the Gentiles and inuented by them may be vsed of Christians much more may things inuēted and abused by Papists But of thys matter I minde also to speake something in the seconde parte of this Admonition The tenth Then as God gaue vtterance they preached the word only Nowe they reade homylyes articles Iniunctions c. Here you quote in the margent the sixte of Iohn vers 38. where Christ saith That he came dovvne from heauen not to do his ovvne vvill but the vvill of his father that sent him Likewise the 12. of Iohn vers 49. where also he saith that he hath not spoken so himselfe but the father that sent him gaue him commaundement vvhat he should say and vvhat he should speake And the first to the Corinthians 11. Chapter vers 23. where Saincte Paule sayeth that he receiued of the Lorde that vvhich he deliuered vnto them No man denieth but that the worde of God only ought to be preached and that as god giueth vtterāce but do you meane that we may not studie for our sermons or that we may speake nothing but the verie texte of Scripture without amplifying or expoundidg the same When I knowe your meaning herein you shall vnderstande more of my mynde In the meane time this I am sure of that the Homilies appointed to be reade in the Churche are learned godly agreable to Gods word and more effectuall to edification than a number of your sermons which consiste in wordes only and entreate of little else but of cap surplesse c. Archbishop Lorde Byshop c. the ende whereof is not edification but contention Homilies readde in the Churche haue alwayes bin commendable and vsuall euen from the beginning looke Augustine Chrysostome and others and why may not articles and Iniunctions béeing collected to the setting foorth of true religion and good orders in the Churche be read there also as in a most méete place but I perceyue you are enimies to reading bycause you loue so well to heare your selues talking I will say no worse The thirtenth and fourtenth Then it was painfull nowe gainfull Then poore and ignominious nowe rich and glorious And therefore titles liuings and offices by Antichrist deuised are giuen to them as Metropolitane Archbyshop Lords grace Lord Bishop Suffragane Deane Archedeacon Prelate of the garter Earle Coūtie Palatine honor high Commissioners Iustices of peace and quorum c. All which togither with their offices as they are strāge vnherd of in Christs church nay plainly in Christs word forbidden So are they vtterly with speed out of the same to be remoued It was then as it vseth to be vnder the crosse And ii is nowe as it vseth to be when God doth blesse it with peace quietnesse and godlie magistrates And yet surely euen nowe it is more painefull than gaynefull more ignominious than ryche and glorious and that doe those knowe that beare the heate of the daye But it is the more paynefull and ignominious for you who ceasse not with rayling and spitefull wordes in pulpits and at tables to depraue and backbite your brethrē and to trouble the whole state with your factiōs and daylie inuented newe opinions the persecution of the sword ceaseth but the persecution of the tung is extreame hot and we who gaine so muche and be so glorious are molested aswell by you as by the Papist and Atheist And therefore not verie glorious You ad and say That therefore titles liuinges and offices by Antichriste deuised are giuen to them as Metropolitane Archbishop lordes grace lorde bishop suffragane Deane Archdeacon prelate of the garter Earle Countie Palatine Iustice of peace and quorum c. All which togither with their offices as they are straunge and vnhearde of in Christes churche nay plainly in Gods worde forbidden So are they vtterlie with speede out of the same to be remoued Here you are in youre ruffe but you shewe your ignoraunce and contemptuous stomacke you haue giuen sentence that the names of Metropolitane Archbishop c. and their offices were deuised by Antichrist Likewise that they are strange and vnheard of in Christes church Also that they be plainelie in gods worde forbidden and last that they are vtterlie with spéede to be remoued If you can proue all these points it is time the churche were transformed and the whole kinde of gouernement of this Realme altered But if you cannot proue them then is it high time that such insolencie should be repressed and perturbers of Churches and common weales reformed Well I must do the best I can to improue all these poyntes whiche I might do sufficiently if I should as barely denie them as you haue affirmed them But I will not deale so nakedly in so great a matter First therfore I proue that the names of Metropolitan Archbishop c. be not Antichristian names that is names inuented by Antichrist but most auncient yea that they were in the Churche long before the Gospell was publiquely embraced by any Prince or in any kingdom Polydore Vergile lib. 4. de inuento rerum cap. 12. sayth that Clement in his booke entituled Compendiarium christiana religionis testifieth that the Apostle Peter did in euery Prouince appointe one Archbishoppe whome all other bishoppes of the same prouince shoulde obey he sayeth also that the same Archebishop was called Primas Patriarcha and Metropolitanus Peter was not Antichryst Ergo the name of an Archebyshop is no Antichrystian name Volusianus Bishop of Carthage who liued Anno domini 865. In one of his
ascribed to this Churche of Englande by these libellers and therfore it hath as God wil the first note of the true Church of Chryst that is puritie of doctrine Admonition These and a great many other abuses are in the ministerie remaining which vnlesse they be remoued and the truth broughte in not onely Gods iustice shal be poured forth but also gods Churche in this realme shall neuer be buylded For if they whiche seeme to be workemen are no workemen in deed but in name or else work not so diligently and in such order as the workmaister commaundeth it is not onely vnlikely that the building shall goe forwarde but altogether impossible that euer it shall bee perfited The way therfore to auoyde these inconueniences and to refourme these deformities is this Your wisedomes haue to remoue Aduousons Patronages Impropriations and Bishops authoritie claiming to themselues therby right to ordeyn ministers and to bring in that old and true election whiche was accustomed to bee made by the congregation You muste displace those ignoraunt and vnable ministers alreadye placed and in their roomes appoynt suche as bothe can and will by Gods assistance feed the flocke You muste plucke downe and vtterly ouerthrow without hope of restitution the court of Faculties from whence not only licences to enioy many benefices are obteyned as Pluralities Trialities Totquots c. but all things for the most part as in the courte of Rome are set on sale licences to marye to eate fleshe in tymes prohibited to lie from benefices and charges and a great number besyde of suche lyke abhominations Appoint to euery congregation a learned diligente preacher Remoue Homilies articles iniunctions a prescript order of Seruice made oute of the Masse booke Take away the Lordshippe the loytering the pompe the idlenesse and liuings of Bishops but yet employ them to such ends as they were in the olde Churche appoynted for Let a lauful and a godly Seigniorie loke that they preach not quarterly or monthly but continually not for filthy lucre sake but of a readie mynde So God shal be glorified your consciences discharged and the flocke of Chryst purchased wyth his owne bloud edified Answere What these great abuses by you hitherto alledged be I trust you doe now fully vnderstand Surely except such factious libellers such stirrers vp of schismes such disturbers of the peace of the Church such contemners of those that be in authoritie be not only remoued but repressed God wil not only of his iustice punish the magistrates of this realme for their carelesnesse in this behalfe but also Gods gospel wil therin be as much defaced with factiōs schismes and heresies as euer it was in the Popes tyme with superstition idolatrie For surely these men that would be compted suche perfect buylders be but vndermyners and destroyers and instruments of some gréedy guts and lusty roysters who to maynteyne their pryde and ioylitie séeke for the spoyle of the Churche and in déede the vtter ouerthrowe bothe of learning and Religion For take from Bishoppes their landes and their authoritie let euery parishe elect theyr owne minister remoue Homilies Articles Iniunctions appoynte no prescript order of seruice that is to say let there be no order prescribed to any man no lawe to directe him or controle him but lette euerye minister doe what he liste speake what he list alter what he list and so oft as him list to be short let euery minister be king and Pope in his own paryshe and exempted from all controlement of Bishop Magistrate and Prince and you shall haue as manye kyndes of Relygion as there is parishes as many sectes as ministers and a Churche miserably torne in péeces wyth mutabilitie and diuersitie of opinions Doe you not sée what they shoote at Woulde they not bée frée from all Magistracie Doe they not moste ambitiouslye desyre that them selues whyche they condemne in others that is Lordeshippe and superioritie For who thinke you shoulde bée chéefe in euerye Parrishe and directe the reste Surely euen the minister The Pope neuer required greater authoritie ouer all Christendome tkan they seeke to haue ouer their parish The Pope and hys Clergie didde neuer more earnestly séeke and desyre to be exempted from the iurisdiction of Ciuile Magistrates than these menne doe bothe from Ecclesiasticall and Ciuile Princes nobles and Magistrates were neuer brought into greater seruitude and bondage than these men séeke to laye vppon them Wherefore you that bée in authoritie if you loue the peace and prosperitie of the Churche of Christe if you desire the good successe of the Gospell if you wyll preserue the state of thys realme if you thinke it necessarie to haue good Magistrates to haue good lawes and orders in a common wealth if you estéeme learning and séeke to preferre it if you hate anarchian confusion anabaptisme if you allowe of your owne condition and lyke of a kingdome better than of a popular state Then prouide betyme some spéedie remedie for these and suche like kinde of men and if the religion you haue established be good if the orders and lawes you haue made be conuenient let them not be written agaynst spoken against nay openly contemned and broken without sharpe and seuere punishment suffer not suche as execute them to be contemned hated discouraged and oftentymes frumped by some superiours Eyther let your lawes be mainteyned as lawes or else deliuer vs from our dutie in executing and obeying of them Touching the Courte of Faculties I can not say much for I haue no great experience of it and lesse knowledge in the lawe notwithstanding bycause by lawfull authoritie it is allowed in this realme I can not but reuerently iudge of it for in suche matters I thinke it a poynte of modestie to suppose the beste and to absteyne from condemnyng of that gouernement whyche is allowed as conuenient If there be faultes in the officers they maye be corrected The places of Scripture quoted in this margent be answered before except that of the .20 of the Actes which proueth nothing in controuersie at this tyme. Admonition Nowe to the seconde poynte whiche concerneth ministration of sacramentes In the olde tyme the worde was preached before they were ministred nowe it is supposed to be sufficient if it be read Then they were ministred in publique assemblies nowe in priuate houses Then by ministers onely nowe by midwiues and deacons equally But bicause intreating of both the sacraments together we should deale confusedly we will therfore speake of them seuerally And fyrst for the Lordes Supper or holie Communion Answere The seconde externall note of the true Churche of Christe is ministring of the Sacramentes sincerely you would proue that this Churche of England hath not the Sacramentes sincerely ministred First by thrée generall reasons pertaining to both the Sacramentes then by certain abuses whiche you fynde seuerally in eyther of them The first generall reason is this In olde time the worde was preached
ninth They had no Gloria in excelsis in the ministerie of the sacrament then for it was put to afterwarde We haue nowe It is the common consente of ecclesiasticall histories that the Apostles did celebrate the Lords supper with the Lords prayer and yet we do not read that Christ did so you also teach that the supper oughte not to be ministred without a Sermon and in the ministration thereof you vse diuers prayers and other orders which Christe vsed not Can you spye a mote if it be a mote as it is not in another mans eye and can you not perceiue a beame to be in your owne There is nothing conteined in Gloria in excelsis but the same is taken out of the scriptures and to be vsed of all true Christians Telesphorus whome you note in the margent to haue added to the supper of the Lorde Gloria in excelsis in the yeare of the Lord 130. was a good Byshop and the Church of Rome as yet pure in doctrine and vnspotted with heresie The tenth They toke it with conscience we with custome This is but your presumptuous and arrogant iudgement who dare take vppon you to giue this generall sentence so generally vpon this whole Church of England for you make no exceptiō but set vs ad oppositum to them If you say some take it without conscience I thinke you say truly and so did some of them as Iudas But if you say all or the most parte you goe beyonde your commission and make your selues iudges of other mens consciences contrarie to the rule of Christ Math. 7. Luke 6. and of Paule Rom. 2. ◠14 1. Cor. 4. and of Iames the .4 The eleuenth They shut mē by reason of their sinnes from the Lords supper We thrust thē in their sinne to the Lords supper The place that you alledge out of the fifte Chapter of the firste to the Corinthians which is this But nowe I haue written vnto you that you companie not togither if any that is called a brother be a fornicator c. doth not particulerly touch the secluding of men by reason of their sinnes from the communion but generally prohibiteth true Christians to haue any familiaritie or frendship with any such notorious offender If you were not with malice blinded you mighte easily vnderstande that by the order and rules of this Church of Englād all notorious and knowne offenders euen such as S. Paule here speaketh of are secluded from the Lordes supper But peraduenture your meaning is that no man should be compelled to the Communion at any time wherin you greatly gratifie the Papists and shewe your selfe a good patrone of theirs when you shew any reason why men may not be compelled to come to the Communion then you shal be aunswered In the meane time you are worthy of your fée The twelfth They ministred the sacramentes plainly we pompeously with singing piping surplesse and copewearing This is a very slender reason to proue that the sacrament of the Supper is not sincerely ministred bycause there is singing piping surplesse and cope whē you shew your reasons against that pompe which is nowe vsed in the celebration of that sacrament you shall heare what I haue to saye in the defence of the same I thinke that there is nothing vsed in the administration therof that doth in any respecte contaminate it or make it impure As for piping it is not prescribed to be vsed at the Communion by any rule that I knowe Singing I am sure you do not dissalowe being vsed in al reformed churches and an arte allowed in scriptures vsed in praysing of God by Dauid Of surplesse cope I haue spoken before and will speake more hereafter as occasion is ministred The thirtenth They simply as they receiued it from the lord We sinfully mixed with mans inuentions and deuises There is no suche inuentions or deuises of manne mixed with the Supper of the Lorde as can make it sinfull being all perteyning to edifieng and to good and decent order and nothing there appointed to be done contrary or not agreable to the Scriptures Caluine him selfe saith in his Institutions Li. 4. ca. 10. That those things which be partes of decencie commended vnto vs by the Apostle though they be prescribed by man yet are they gods traditions and not mans as kneeling at solemne prayer and such like The supper it selfe in all points of any momente is ministred nowe in this Churche of Englande euen as Christ deliuered it as the Apostles vsed it and as the Primatiue Churche continued the same These be all the reasons you vse to proue that the sacramente of the Supper is not rightely and sincerely ministred whereof some bée impious some ridiculous and all of them vnworthy any confutation Admonition And as for baptisme it was ynough with them if they had water and the partie to be baptised by faith and the minister to preache the word and minister the sacraments Now we must haue Surplesses deuised by Pope Adrian Interrogatories ministred to the infant Godfathers and Godmothers brought in by Higinus holy fonts inuented by Pope Pius crossing and such like peeces of Poperie which the Churche of God in the Apostles time neuer knew and therfore not to be vsed nay whiche we are sure of were and are mans diuises brought in long after the puritie of the primatiue church Answere The impurities you finde in the administration of baptisme be these surplesse Interrogatories ministred to the infāt godfathers godmothers holy fonts crossing Touching the surplesse and such like apparel I haue spokē before sufficiently the first inuētor of it which you say to be Pope Adrian doth make it neither better nor worse yet it was vsed long before Adrians time neither can you proue him to be the first inuenter therof It is certen that such kind of vesture hath bene vsed in the ministration of the sacramēts long before any corruption of doctrine tooke place in the Churche as it appeareth both by Hierome in his first booke aduersus Pelags where he maketh manifest mention of a white garment vsed in the administration of sacrifice by the Byshop priest deacon And also Chrysostome Hom. 6. to the people of Antioche who speaketh of the like garment worne in the Churche Those that answered the examiner do but childishly cauill at these two places which in déede be plaine of them selues and euident and so is that of Hieromes also vpon the .44 of Ezechiell The religion of God hath one habite in the ministration and another in cōmon vse and life Reade the place considerately it shal easily appeare that Hierome meaneth aswell of Christian ministers as of Iewish priests But of the vse of this and other apparell prescribed in this Churche to be worne by ministers I haue spoken partely before and am ready to speake more as occasion shall be offered In the meane tyme the Surplesse is not of the substaunce of baptisme neither
An Answere to the seconde parte of the Libell called An admonition to the Parliament and entituled A view of Popishe abuses yet remayning in the English Church for the which godlie ministers haue refused to subscribe Admonition WHere as immediatly after the laste parliament holden at Westmynster begon in Anno. 1570. and ended in Anno 1571. the ministers of gods holy word and Sacraments were called before hir maiesties high Cōmissioners and enforced to subscribe vnto the articles if they would kepe their places and liuings and some for refusing to subscribe were vnbrotherly and vncharitably entreated and from their offices and places remoued May it please therefore this honorable and high Court of Parliament in cōsideration of the premises to take a view of such causes as then did withholde and now doth the foresaide Ministers from subscribing and consenting vnto those foresaide articles by way of purgation to discharge them selues of all disobedience towardes the Church of God and their soueraigne and by way of most humble entreatie for the remouing away and vtter abolishing of all suche corruptions and abuses as withhelde them through whiche this long time brethren haue bene at vnnaturall warre and strife among them selues to the hinderance of the Gospell to the ioy of the wicked and to the griefe and dismay of all those that professe Christes religion and laboure to attaine Christian reformation Answere You complayne much of vnbrotherly vncharitable entreating of you of remouing you from your offices and places Surely in this point I must compare you to certayne heretikes that were in Augustines time who most bitterly by sundry meanes afflicting and molesting the true ministers of the Churche yet for all that cried out that they were extreamly dealte with and cruelly persecuted by them or else vnto a shrewd and vngratious wife which beating hir husbande by hir clamorous cōplaints maketh hir neighbours beleue that hir husband beateth hir or to him that is mētioned in Erasmus colloquies that did steale and runne away with the Priests purse and yet cried alwaies as he ranne stay the thiefe stay the thiefe and thus crying escaped and yet he was the thiefe him selfe You are as gentlie entreated as may be no kinde of brotherly perswasion omitted towardes you most of you as yet kepe your liuings though some one or two be displaced you are offered all kind of friendlinesse if you could be contente to conforme your selues yea but to be quiet and holde your peace you on the contrary side most vnchristianly and most vnbrotherly both publikely and priuately raile on those that shew this humanitie towards you slaunder them by all meanes you can and most vntruly report of them séeking by all meanes their discredit Againe they as their allegiance to the Prince dutie to lawes requireth yea and as some of them by oth are bounde do execute that discipline whiche the Prince the lawe and their oth requireth You contrary to al obedience duty and oth openly violate break those lawes orders and statutes which you ought to obey and to the which some of you by oth is bounde If your doings procéede in dede from a good conscience then leaue that liuing and place whiche bindeth you to those things that be against your conscience for why shold you striue with the disquietnesse both of your selues and others to kepe that liuing which by laws you cannot excepte you offende against your cōscience or what honestie is there to sweare to statutes and lawes and when you haue so done cōtrarie to your oth to breake thē and yet still to remaine vnder them and enioy that place which requireth obedience and subiectiō to them For my parte I thinke it much better by remouing you from your liuings to offende you than by suffering you to enioy them to offend the prince the lawe conscience and god And before God I speake it if I were persuaded as you séeme to be I would rather quietly forsake all the liuinges I haue than be an occasion of strife and contention in the Church a cause of stumbling to the weake reioysing to the wicked I know God would prouide for me if I did it bona conscientia yea surely I would rather die than be an author of schismes a disturber of the common peace and quietnesse of the Churche and state There is no reformed Churche that I can heare tell of but it hath a certayne prescripte and determinate order aswell touching ceremonies and discipline as doctrine to the which all those are constrayned to giue their consent that will liue vnder the protection of it and why then may not this Churche of England haue so in like manner Is it méete that euery man should haue his owne phansie or liue as him list Truly I know not whervnto these your doings can tende but either to Anabaptisme or to méere confusion But nowe to the reasons that moue you not to subscribe to those articles ministred vnto you by hir Maiesties highe Commissioners The first article First that the booke cōmonly called the boke of common prayers for the Church of Englād authorised by parliamente and all and euery contents therin be suche as are not repugnant to the word of God. Admonition Albeit right honorable and dearely beloued we haue at all times borne with that whiche we could not amend in this booke and haue vsed the same in our ministerie so farre forth as we might reuerencing those times and those persons in whiche and by whome it was first authorised being studious of peace and of the building vp of Christes Church yet now being compelled by subscription to allow the same and to confesse it not to be against the worde of God in any point but tollerable we must nedes say as followeth that this booke is an vnperfecte booke culled and picked out of the popish dunghill the masse booke full of all abhominations for some and many of the contents therin be such as are against the worde of God as by his grace shal be proued vnto you And by the way we cannot but muche maruell at the craftie wilinesse of those men whose partes it had bene first to haue proued each and euery cōtente therin to be agreable to the word of god seing that they force mē by subscription to consente vnto it or else sende them packing from their callings Answere And what reason can you giue why you should not aswell allowe of it by subscription as you saye that you haue hitherto done by vsing of it in your ministerie Will you speake on thing and do another will you not subscribe to that whiche you publiquely vse and giue your cōsent vnto If those persons by whome this booke was first authorised were studious of peace and of bulding vp of Christes Church as you say they were then you that séeke to deface it are disturbers of peace and destroyers of the Church of Christ. They were singuler learned men zelous in Gods religion blamelesse in life
and Martirs at their end for eyther all or the most parte of them haue sealed this boke with their bloud But by the way this is to be noted that you confesse your selues to haue allowed that by vsing of it which you say is against the worde of God. The vnperfectnesse of this booke 〈◊〉 suche things in the same as be culled and picked out of that popish dunghill the masse booke wyth the contents therin that be against the worde of God shal apeare I am sure in your seuerall reasons for it is not sufficiente for you barely to say so withoute wit learning or reason This you know right well that in so saying you make the Papists leape for ioy bycause they haue gotten suche companions to assault this booke whilest they rest them and lye as it were in slepe O that the wise men of thys Realme suche I meane as be in authoritie sée not thys Popish practise and séeke not with more earnestnesse to preuent it Will ye suffer the Papists to gather strength and to multiplie by tollerating suche libellers vnder the pretence of reformation to discredit so muche as lyeth in them yea to ouerthrowe the whole state and substance of religion in this Church be not secure but watche and remēber the beginning and encrease of the Anabaptists of late in Germany which I haue described in my preface to this booke You saye that you can not but muche maruell at the craftye wylynesse of those menne whose partes it had bene firste to haue proued eache and euery contente therein to bee agreeable to Gods woorde c. Nay surely but it were youre partes rather to proue that there is some thing therein contrary or not agréeable to Gods worde For suche as bée learned and knowe the manner of reasoning saye that the Opponente muste proue or improue and not the Aunswerer They stande to the defence and mayntenaunce of the Booke you séeke to ouerthrowe it it is youre partes therefore to iustifie youre assertions by reasons and argumentes Nowe to your reasons Admonition The first is this They shoulde firste proue by the worde of God that a readyng Seruice going before and with the administration of the Sacraments is according to the worde of God that priuate communiō priuate baptisme baptisme ministred by women holydaies ascribed to saints prescript seruices for them kneeling at Communion wafer cakes for their bread whē they minister it surplesse and cope to do it in churching of women comming in vayles abusing the Psalme to hir I haue lifted vp mine eyes vnto the hilles c. and suche other foolish thinges are agreable to the written worde of the almightie Answere I do not well vnderstand your meaning woulde you haue vs to proue that to reade prayers before and with the administration of the sacraments is according to the word of god In déede in the booke of seruice there is first appointed to be read some one or two profitable sentences mouing either to prayer or to repentance after followeth a generall confession then the Lords prayer and certaine Psalmes nexte certaine Chapiters out of the olde and newe testamente c. Last of all the administration of the Sacramente If you aske me of the sentences they be Scripture If of the Lords prayer Psalmes and chapiters they be scripture also If of the Sacrament of the supper it is according to Scripture Math. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 11. If of the other prayers annexed they be likewise according to the scripture for they be made to God in Christes name for suche things as we néede or as we desire according to that saying of christ Quicquid petieritis c. VVhatsoeuer you aske my father in my name c. And again Petite dabitur vobu Aske and it shal be giuen vnto you Math. 7. and. Iacob 1. If any of you lacke wisdome let him aske it c. 1. Ti. 2. with other infinite places besides If you would haue vs to proue that to reade prayers or scripture in the Churche is according to the worde of God whiche you séeme to denie then we say vnto you that if there were any pietie in you any religiō any learning you would make no such vaine and godlesse doubts Was there euer any from the beginning of the worlde to thys daye the Zwinfildians onely excepted that mysliked reading of prayers and Scriptures in the Church but you But touching reading in the Churche I haue spoken before in the former treatise and minde to speake something of it hereafter as occcasion shal be ministred If you meane by priuate communion the communion ministred to one alone there is no suche allowed in the booke of common prayers but if you call it priuate bycause it is ministred sometime in priuate houses to sicke persons Then haue we the example of Christ who ministred the supper in a priuate house and inner parlor Marc. 14. Luc. 22. Math. 26. We haue also the example of the Apostles them selues who did minister the Supper in priuate houses especially if that place bée vnderstanded of the supper whiche is in the seconde of the Actes and before alleadged of you to proue that common and vsuall bread oughte to be in the supper Likewise of the primatiue Churche as appeareth in the seconde Apologie of Iustinus Martyr Tertul. de corona militis and others If you meane by priuate baptisme baptisme ministred in priuate houses and families you haue therof example in the Scriptures Acts. 10. other priuate baptisme allowed in the church of Englande I know none Master Bucer in his censure vppon the Communion booke speaking of the order appoynted in the same for priuate baptisme writeth thus In this constitution all things are godly appoynted I would to God they were so obserued and especially this that the baptisme of Infants be not deferred for therby is a doore opened vnto the diuell to bring in a contempt of baptisme and so of oure whole redemption and Communion of Chryste which through the sect of Anabaptists hath too muche preuayled with many For women to baptise we haue no rule that I knowe in the whole Communion booke but in scripture we haue an example of Moses wife that did circumcise and circumcision is correspondent to baptisme But I know no generall doctrine can be grounded of a singuler example and therfore most of your arguments be very féeble Holy dayes ascribed to Sainctes wherein not the Saincts but God is honored and the people edified by reading and hearing suche stories and places of scripture as pertayne to the martyrdome calling and function of suche Saincts or any other thing mentioned of them in scripture muste néedes be according to Gods worde For to honor God to worship him to be edifyed by the stories and examples of Saincts out of the scripture can not be but consonant to the scripture The proscript seruice for them is all taken out of Gods word and not one péece thereof but it
hath brought to vs these thirtene years past c. And what can you tell howe much it hath profited I thinke very much but the lesse bycause of your cōtentiousnesse For by the factiōs that you haue stirred many be brought into a doubte of religion many cleane driuen backe and no doubte the frutes of the Gospell would haue muche more appeared if you had not made this schisme in the Churche a perpetuall companion but yet a deadly enimie to the Gospell I know not what you meane by your Circumceliō or newe Apostle If you meane such as preach in diuers places as they be called or as they sée occasion I sée not with what honest zeale or godly affection you can call them in derision Circumcelions or newe Apostles Some such haue done more good with their flying sermons as you terme them than you haue done with your rayling libels But as I said in the beginning I will not aunswere wordes but matter although I am constrained to do otherwise you are so full of words and barren of matter Admonition The second reason In this booke also it is appointed that after the creede if there be no sermon an homely must followe either already set out or herafter to be set out This is scarce plaine dealing that they would haue vs to consent vnto that which we neuer sawe whiche is to be set out hereafter we hauing had such cause alreadye to distrust them by that whiche is already set out being corrupt and strange to mainteine an vnlearned reading ministrie And sith it is plaine that mens works oughte to be kepte in and nothing else but the voyce of God and holy scriptures in which only are conteined al fulnesse and sufficiencie to decide controuersies must sounde in hys Churche for the very name Apocrypha testifieth that they ought rather to be kepte close than to be vttered Answere Your seconde reason in fewe wordes is this In the booke of common prayer it is appointed that after the creede if there be no sermon an Homily must followe either already set out or hereafter to be set out but you knowe not what wil hereafter be set out therefore you will not subscribe You haue no cause to suspecte any thing touching religion set out by publique authoritie for so is the booke or hereafter to be set out by cōmon authoritie Hitherto you are not able to cōuince any homily set out by cōmon authoritie of any error and therefore you ought not to be suspicious of any that is to come If any Homily shall hereafter be sette out wherein you mislike any thing you néede not to reade it the boke doth not appoint you this or that Homily to read but some one which you like best But what néede you to be scrupulous in thys matter if you be disposed to preach then néede you reade no Homily at all therefore this is no reason This assertion that in the holy scriptures is cōteyned al fulnesse to decide controuersies if you meane controuersies in matters of fayth and in matters touching saluation is very true but you haue vsed little discretion in quoting some places to proue the same I finde no faulte with you for citing the sixte verse of the 2. Timo. 3. for the 16. verse that is but a small ouersight and it may bée in the Printer But howe doe you conclude this assertion of the words of Peter 2. epist. ca. 1. verse 20. which be these so that ye first knovve that no prophecie of the scripture is of any priuate motion For this place only proueth that the scriptures be not of men but of the holy Ghost it speaketh nothing of the sufficiencie of the Scripture That place also 1. Cor. 1. is not fitly applyed to this purpose there is scripture sufficient directly to proue the sufficiencie of scripture so that you shoulde not haue néeded to giue the aduersarie occasion to carpe at the vnaptnesse of these places for that purpose Homelies contayning doctrine agréeable to the scriptures be of the same nature that sermons be Wherfore if it be not lawfull in the Church to reade homilies neither is it lawfull to preach Sermons The reason is all one neyther is there any difference but that Homilies be read in the booke Sermons sayde without the booke Homilies are pithie learned and sound sermons oftētimes be words without matter vnlearned erronious But of reading Homilies in the church I haue somthing spoken before now it shal be sufficient only to set down Master Bucers iudgemente of this matter in his notes vppon the Communion booke which is this It is better that vvhere there lacks to expound the scriptures vnto the people there shoulde be Godly and learned Homilies readde vnto them rather than they shoulde haue no exhortation at all in the administration of the supper And a little after there be too fevve Homilies and too fevve points of religion taught in them vvhen therefore the Lord shall blesse this kingdome vvith some excellent preachers lette them be commaunded to make moe Homilies of the principall points of religion vvhich may be readde to the people by those pastors that cannot make better themselues Admonition In this booke days are ascribed vnto saints and kepte holy with fastes on their euens and prescripte seruice appointed for them whiche beside that they are of many superstitiously kept and obserued and also contrarie to the cōmaundement of God Sixe dayes thou shalt laboure and therefore we for the superstition that is put in them dare not subscribe to allowe them Answere This is contained in your first reason and there aunswered Your collection hangeth not togither for howe followeth this these holydayes be superstitiously obserued of some therefore you may not allow them Why shoulde other mens superstition hinder you from lawfully vsing a lawfull thing The Saboth day is superstitiously vsed of some so is the church so is the Créed the Lords prayer and many things else and yet I hope you will subscribe to them You heape vp a number of places in the margent to proue that which no man doubteth of that is this portiō of the commaundement Sixe daies shalt thou labour c. The meaning of which wordes is this that seing God hath permitted vnto vs sixe days to do our owne works in we ought the seuenth day wholy to serue him This is no restraint for any man from seruing of God any day in the wéeke else For the Iewes had diuers other feasts whiche they by Gods appointmente obserued notwithstanding these wordes Sixe dayes c. Euery man hath not bodily laboure to doo but may serue God aswell in these sixe dayes as in the seuenth And certenly he doth not by any means break this commaundement which abstayneth in any of these six dayes from bodily laboure to serue god For this is the commaundement Remēber that thou kepe holy the Saboth day as for this Sixe dayes thou shalt vvorke is no commaundemente
vpon the .2 to the Coloss. But some will say that we as yet haue some kind of obseruing dayes I answere that we obserue them not as though there were any religion in them or as thoughe it were not then lawfull to labour but we haue a respect of pollicie and orders not of dayes And in his institutions vpon the fourth commaundement Neither do I so speake of the seuenth day that I would binde the Church onely vnto it for I do not condemne those Churches which haue other solemne dayes to meete in so that they be voide of superstition which shal be if they be ordeyned onely for the obseruing of discipline and order Master Bucer in his Epistle to master Alasco speking of holy dayes sayth that in the Scriptures there is no expresse commaundement of them it is gathered notwithstanding sayth he from the example of the olde people that they are profitable for vs to the encrease of godlynesse which thing also experience proueth To be short Illiricus writing vppon the fourth to the Gala. maketh this diuision of obseruing dayes times The first is natural as of sōmer spring time ▪ winter ▪ c. time of planting time of sowing time of reaping c. The seconde is ciuill The thirde Ecclesiasticall as the sabboth day and other dayes wherein is celebrated the memorie of the chiefe histories or acts of Christ which be profitable for the instruction of the simple that they may the better remēber when the Lorde was borne when he suffred when he asscended vp into heauen be further taught in the same The fourth superstitious when we put a necessitie worshipping merite or righteousnesse in the obseruing of time and this kinde of obseruing dayes and times is onely forbydden in this place Thus you sée by the iudgements of all these learned men that days ascribed to saincts is no such matter as ought to make men seperate them selues from the Church and abstayne from allowing by subscription so worthy godly a booke as the booke of common praier is much lesse to make a schisme in the Church for the same Touching fasting on the euens of suche feastes or rather absteyning from flesh you know it is not for religion but for pollicie and as I thinke the same is protested in that Acte where suche kinde of absteyning is established and therfore these be but slender quarels picked to disalowe suche a booke Admonition The fourth reason In this booke we are enioyned to receyue the Communion kneeling whiche beside that it hath in it a shewe of Papistrie dothe not so well expresse the mysterie of this holy Supper For as in the olde Testamente eating the Pascall Lambe standing signified a readinesse to passe euen so in the receyuing of it nowe sitting according to the example of Chryste we signifie reste that is a full fynishing thorough Chryste of all the ceremoniall Lawe and a perfecte worke of redemption wroughte that giueth reste for euer And so we auoyde also the daunger of Idolatrie whiche was in tymes paste too common and yet is in the heartes of many who haue not as yet forgotten their breaden God so slenderly haue they ben instructed Agaynst whiche wee may sette the commaundemente Thou shalte not bowe downe to it nor worship it Answere Surely this is a sore reason the booke of Common prayers requireth kneeling at the Communion Ergo it is not to be allowed That knéeling is not to be vsed you proue on this sort Kneeling is a shewe of papistrie and dothe not so well expresse the misterie of the Lords supper therefore not to be vsed Of knéeling at the Communion I haue spoken before now therfore I will onely note in one worde or two the slendernesse of this argument You say knéeling is a shewe of euill and for proofe thereof you alledge 1. Thessa. 5. Absteyne from all apparance of euyll Howe followeth this the Apostle willeth vs to abstayne from all apparaunce of euill Therefore knéeling at the Communion is a shew of euill But your meaninge is that bicause the Papistes knéeled at the sacring of the Masse as they called it therefore we may not knéele at the receiuing of the Communion you may as well say they prayed to images and saincts knéeling therfore we may not pray knéeling There is no such perill in knéeling at the Communion as you surmise for the gospeller is better instructed than so grossely to erre And as for the learned Papiste he is so farre from worshipping that he disdayneth that holy Communion iesteth at it and either altogither absteyneth from comming vnto it or else commeth onely for feare of punishement or pro forma tantum for fashion sake and the moste ignoraunt and simplest Papist that is knoweth that the Communion is not the Masse neither do they sée it lifted vp ouer the Priestes heade with suche great solemnitie as they did when they tooke it to be their god No truely the contempt of that misterie is more to be feared in them than worshipping and to be short if they be disposed to worship they will aswel worship sitting as knéeling But they are farre from suche an opinion of the bread and wine in the blessed Communion for they make no accompt at all of it You say sitting is the moste meetest gesture bycause it signifieth rest that is a full finishing thorowe Christ of all the ceremoniall lawe c. What are ye nowe come to allegories and to significations Surely this is a very papisticall reason Nay then we can giue you a great deale better significations of the Surplesse of crossing of the ring in mariage and many other ceremonies than this is of sitting I praye you in the whole Scripture where dothe sitting sygnifie a full finishing of the ceremoniall lawe and a perfect worke of redemption that giueth rest for euer If allegories please you so well let vs haue eyther standing which signifieth a readinesse to passe vsed also in the eating of the Passeouer or knéeling whiche is the proper gesture for prayer and thankes giuing and signifieth the submission and humblenesse of the mynde But you say Christ sat at his Supper therfore we must sitte at the receyuing of the Supper You may as well say Christ did celebrate his Supper at night after Supper to twelue onely men and no women in a parlour within a priuate house the thursday at night before Easter therfore we ought to receyue the Cōmunion at night after supper being twelue in number and onely men in a parlor within a priuate house the Thursday at nighte before Easter But who séeth not the non sequitur of this argument The places written in youre margent to proue that Christ did sitte at Supper be néedlesse and were vsed for the same purpose before where I haue also spoken my opinion of kneeling If you cite the Gal. 4. and 5. and the Epistle to the Hebrues in many places to proue that sitting signifieth rest that is a full
be not present Well men may sée whervnto this geare tendeth if they be not blinde Benedictus also Nuns dimittis and Magnificat be great motes in your eyes but you shewe no reason worthy to be answered onely in derision you say except some of them were ready to dye or would celebrate the memorie of the Uirgin or Iohn Baptist. As thoughe these Hymmes or Psalmes were not profitable for all men as the rest of the holy Scripture is but these especially bicause they conteyne the mysterie of our saluation and the prayse of God for the same By this your reason we may not vse any of the Psalmes vntil we be in like case as Dauid was or other when they were first made But I thinke nowe the time is come when those shall correct magnificat qui nesciunt quid significat Truely this your dooing is a méere prophanation of holy scriptures Admonition The thirtenth In all their order of seruice there is no edification according to the rule of the Apostle but confusion They tosse the Psalmes in most places like tennise balles the people some standing some walking some talking some reading some praying by theÌ„selues attende not to the minister He againe posteth it ouer as faste as he can gallop for either he hath two places to serue or else there are some games to be played in the after noone as lying for the Whetstone heathenishe dauncing for the ring a Beare or a Bull to be bayted or else Iacke an apes to ryde on horse backe or an Enterlude to bee playde and if no place else can bee gotten it muste bee doone in the church c. Now the people sit now they stand vp wheÌ„ the old testameÌ„t is read or the lessons they make no reuerence but when the Gospell commeth then they all stande vp For why they think that to be of greatest authoritie and are ignorant that the scriptures came from one spirite When Iesus is named then off goeth the cappe and downe goeth the knees with suche a scraping on the grounde that they can not heare a good while after so that the word is hindred but when any other names of God are mentioned they make no curtesie at all as though the names of God were not equall or as though all reuerence oughte to be giuen to the sillables We speake not of ringing when Mattens is done and other abuses incident bicause we shal be answered that by the booke they are not mainteined only we desire to haue a booke to refourme it As for Organes and curious singing though they be proper to popishe dennes I meane to Cathedral churches yet some others also muste haue them The Queenes Chappell and these Churches must be paternes and presidents to the people of all superstitions Answere This is a slaunderous vntruth And the .1 Cor. 14. abused to confirme it Whatsoeuer S. Paule requireth in that place is vsed in that booke of Seruice for first the whole seruice is in a tong knowne as S. Paule there requireth that the people may vnderstande and say Amen Then are the Scriptures read the Sacramentes ministred according to Christes owne institution those that be godly disposed persons knowe what a manifeste vntruth this is that you here vtter But madde men women and children must haue their wordes If by tossing of Psalmes you meane the singing of them alternatim then doe you disallowe that whiche is both commendable and of great antiquitie as it appereth in an Epistle that Basilius Magnus did write to the ministers in Neocesaria where he sheweth the selfe same order of singing Psalmes to be then vsed in the churche that we vse at this day If by tossing of Psalmes lyke tennyse balles you meane the ouer hastie reading or singing of them it is in déede to be mislyked but it is no parte of the booke and therfore no cause why you should absteyn from subscribing to it Walking talking reading priuate praying of the people in time of Common prayers seruing of two cures games played in the afternoone on the Sabboth daye as lying for the whetstone c. be faults worthy of punishment where they be vsed but they are not within the contentes of the boke they are here recited out of place to no purpose This is very malicious and vndiscrete dealing to burden the common order with suche faultes whiche by the malice of men are growen in vse and are of all good men mislyked So you might haue burdened Saint Paule and other preachers with the faults of the Churches of Corinth and Galathians and the residue of the Apostles with the superstitions of the Iewes conuerted in the primitiue Churche and all good rulers with such faultes as corruption of time breedeth Standing or sitting at this time or that time is indifferent and therfore may both be well vsed and abused also Kneeling at the name of Iesus is of the lyke nature ringing when matâ—ins is doone as you tearme it curious singing organs â–ª c. All these be without the booke and therfore without discretion alledged as a reason why you wil not subscribe to the book Here it pleaseth you to call Cathedrall Churches Popish dennes As hap is your words ar no slander But this brag I will make of Cathedral Churches and such as be now in them I wil offer vnto you a doze in cathedral Churches in EnglaÌ„d which I my selfe do know the worst wherof in learning shal encounter with al Papists Puritans Anabaptists and what other sects soeuer in England for the defence of religion now professed eyther by worde or writing Without arrogancie be it spoken I thinke there was neuer time wherein these churches were better furnished with wyse learned and godly men than they be at this day I speake not this bostingly but to Gods glorie the honour of the Prince the comfort of the godly and the shame of slandrous Papists and disdainful schismatiks Your slaÌ„drous spéech of the Quéenes Maiesties chappel which you also say to be a pattern and president to the people of all superstitions is rather seuerely to be punished than with wordes to be confuted Admonition The fouretéenth Their pontificall whiche is annexed to the booke of Common prayer and whervnto subscribing to the Articles we must subscribe also wherby they consecrate Bishops make ministers and Deacons is nothing else but a thing worde for worde drawne out of the Popes pontificall wherin he sheweth himselfe to be Antichrist most liuely And as the names of Archebishops Archdeacons lorde Bishops Chancelours c. are drawen out of the Popes shop together with their offices So the gouernement whiche they vse by the lyfe of the Pope which is the Canon law is Antichristian and diuellish and contrarye to the Scriptures And as safely may we by the warrante of Gods word subscribe to allow the dominion of the Pope vniuersally to raigne ouer the Churche of God as of an Archbishop ouer an whole prouince or a Lordbishop
that no maner of Gods honor is attributed vnto them and that they be in sighte comely and in number fewe and that Christian people be not wyth them ouerburdened and matters of greater importaunce be omitted You adde and say that they haue the shewe of euill séeing the Popish priesthoode is euill When they were a signe and token of the Popishe priesthoode then were they euill euen as the thing was which they signified but nowe they be the tokens and the signes of the ministers of the worde of God which are good and therefore also they be good no man in this Churche of Englande is so ignorante but that he knoweth this apparell not to be nowe the signes of a Massing priest but of a lawfull minister wherefore it is a shewe of good euen as it is in the lyke maner in the Uniuersities a shewe and signe of degrées in learning and therfore a showe of good excepte you will also condemne degrées of learning Neither is if any straunge matter for the selfe same thing in others respectes and at diuers times to be the signe bothe of good and euill The belles were a signe of euill when they were roong to call to Masse and to stay stormes and tempestes the selfe same belles are now a signe of good when they bée roong to sermons and other godly actions The Churches them selues were a signe of euill when Idolatrie was committed in them and false doctrine preached nowe they be a signe of good when God is rightly worshipped in them and his worde truely preached Many such examples I could bring but a reasonable man can gather of these sufficiently to confute your errour Furthermore when we be willed to abstayne from all shewe of euill it is ment of euill life and euill doctrine least we do any thing with a scrupulous conscience They worke discorde they hinder the preaching of the Gospell This is an argument à non causa ad causam it is not the apparell that worketh discorde or hindreth the preaching of the Gospell no no more than it is the worde of God that engendreth heresies or wyne that maketh dronke or the sworde that murdreth or the lawe that worketh iniurie c. But it is the sinister affection the rebellious nature the contentious minde of man For who began this contention or when was it begonne Truely if the lawe for apparell were vtterly abrogated yet would not your contention cease nay it woulde burst out muche more vehamently and in farre greater matters as this your admonition declareth And therefore I thinke rather that the lawe for apparell will stay further contentions especially if it bée duely executed They keepe the memorie of Egypte still amongest vs and put vs in minde of that abhomination wherevnto they in times past haue serued No truely no more than doth the Church the Pulpit the belles c. but they teache vs the true vse of Christian libertie and that all things be cleane to those that be cleane Finally that godly men may well vse that which wicked haue abused howsoeuer vngodly They bring the ministerie into contempte Onely with you and suche as you by your continuall crying out agaynst them haue deluded contemners of good orders lawes and statutes are to be seuerely punished for their contempt Good lawes orders and statutes are not to be altered or dissolued bicause by suche as forget their dueties they are contemned They offende the weake and encourage the obstinate Those that be offended with thē think them selues most strong and glory therein with condemning of others The obstinate be encouraged through the schismes and contentions that you trouble the Churche and slaunder the Gospell with which one day you will vnderstande if in time you do not repent Admonition Therfore can no authoritie by the worde of God with any pretence of order disobedience commaunde them nor make them in any wise tollerable but by circumstances they are wicked and agaynst the worde of God. Answere Nowe you come to the poynt where you would haue it it is the marke you shoote at to spoyle the magistrate of all authoritie in things indifferent especially in ecclesiasticall matters But you set it downe onely without proofe wherefore I will thus briefly answere to your bare words vntil you bring some proofe that this your assertion is both Anabaptisticall and Papisticall and contrarie also to the worde of God and all learning Admonition If this be not playne inough by that whiche is already sette foorth wee mynde by Gods grace to make it playner and shoulde do it better if it were as lawfull for vs as for oure aduersaries to publishe our myndes in print then shoulde appeare what slender stuffe they bring that are so impudent by open writing to defende it And if it might please hir Maiestie by the aduise of you right Honorable in this highe Court of Parliamente to heare vs by writing or otherwise to defend our selues then such is the equitie of our cause that we would trust to finde fauour in hir maiesties sight then those patched Pamphlets made by soden vpstarts and newe conuertes should appeare in their colours and truth haue the victorie and God the glory if this can not be obteyned we will by Gods grace addresse our selues to defende his truthe by suffering and willingly lay our heads to the blocke And this shall be our peace to haue quiet consciences with our God whom we will abide for with all patience vntill he make our full deliueraunce Answere And I will not spare my labour from time to time to vtter my minde and conscience in these matters protesting that if by learning you can persuade me I will say agayne with Augustine Errare possum haereticus esse nolo All the rest of your stoute and suspicious bragges of your vndecent and vnséemely words I let passe and leaue them to be considered as notes of your spirite and modestie The Quéenes maiestie may assure hir selfe that she hath of learned men a number sufficient able by learning to maynteine both hir authoritie and lawes whiche hir Maiestie hath hitherto vsed and made for the furtheraunce of the Gospell and maynteining of good order and peace in the Churche The Lorde of his infinite goodnesse long preserue hir and giue vs thankefull hearts to God for hir The thirde article That the articles of Religion which onely concerne the true Christian fayth and the doctrine of the Sacramentes comprised in a booke imprinted Articles wherevpon it was agreed by bothe Archbyshops c. and euery of them conteyne true and godly Christian doctrine Admonition For the Articles concerning the substaunce of doctrine vsing a godly interpretation in a poynte or two which are either too sparely or else too ▪ darkly set downe we were and are readie according to duetie to subscribe vnto them We would to God that as they holde the substaunce togither with vs and we with them so they woulde not denie the effecte and
obijciunt obstacula atque remorae ab illis quoque exortae qui maximè Euangelici volunt videri Verum per initia reformationis Ecclesiae nostrae eadem nos exercuit molestia Erant enim quibus nihil in reformando satis purum videbatur vnde ab Ecclesia sese segregabant conuenticula peculiaria constituehant quae mox consequibantur schismata sectae variae quae iucnudum spectaculum exhibebant hostibus nostris papistiois Sed innotuit tandem ipsorum Hypocrisis ataxta suaque sponte diffluxêre Liberabit hac molestia vos haud dubie clemens misericors Dominus c. The same in Englishe FIrst of all we reioyce with you for the wonderfull felicitie of your moste gracious Queene in quieting of troubles in ouerthrowing of hir enimies in keeping of hir subiects in obedience and for hir wyse and couragious sifting out of the mischeeuously vvrapped practizes of traytors And vve do earnestly pray vnto God that he wil not only continue these so great graces in hir but also increase them and that he will defende hir from all euill This virgin Prince beloued of God in the iudgement of all good men excelleth all the men Princes that novv reigne in the vvorlde in vvisedome in modestie in mercy in iustice in dexteritie and maruellous happinesse in all hir affayres so that vndoubtedly the godly of al nations do comfort them selues and are confirmed in the true religion for that they do euidently see Christe the Lorde so mightily to fauour his seruaunt and to preserue hir in glory and all maner vertue before Heroicall and diuine Princes But vve are not a lyttle sory that in your spreading of the truthe and enlarging of the limittes of Christes church so many stops and stayes are cast agaynst you and they springing from them that vvill seeme moste Euangelicall For in the beginning of the reformation of our Churche the same grieues occupied vs for there vvere some vnto vvhom in reforming nothing might seeme sufficiently pure in so muche that they separated them selues from the churche and appoynted priuate conuenticles the vvhich there did presently follovv schismes and diuers sectes and they were a pleasaunt spectacle to our enimies the Papistes But at the length their hypocrisie and disorder dyd appeare and they vanished of their ovvne accorde The mercifull and gracious Lorde shall deliuer you also no doubt from this trouble c. A briefe answere to certain Pamphlets spred abroade of late I HAVE of late receyued thre litle Pamphlets the first as it were a preface to the other two the seconde entituled An exhortation to the Bishops to deale brotherly with their brethren The thirde An exhortation to the Bishops and theyr cleargie to answere a little Booke that came foorth the last Parliament and to other brethren to iudge of it by Gods worde vntill they see it aunswered and not be caried awaye with any respect of men The Preface consisteth of these poynts especially first by diuers examples it is there declared that the wicked and vngodly of this world coulde neuer away with such as woulde reproue them for their manyfest sinnes and vngodlynesse Secondly that this is the cause why these two Treatises which wer lately written and imprinted in the last Parliament time c. were of so many mysliked and the authors thereof so cruelly entreated and straightly imprisoned c. Thirdly it rayleth on the Bishops and suche as be in authoritie comparing them to false prophets and to Phariseys c. Laste of all it concludeth wyth threatenyng that if they goe forewarde in their sinnes their doings shall bée with more bitternesse of woordes and playnenesse of speache throwne into their faces The first is néedlesse for who knoweth not that from tyme to tyme it hath ben the maner of such as wer desperatly wicked not to suffer their sins opeÌ„ly to be reproued The seconde is false vncharitable and slaunderous for the cause why the bookes bée not estéemed especially of the wise and learned is the vntrue doctrine conteyned in them maynteyned with vntrue and vnapt allegations of the Scriptures and interlaced with opprobrious termes and rayling speaches tendyng to the disquietnesse of the Churche and ouerthrow of true religion The authors therof to be imprisoned not for telling any man of his sinnes but for writing Libels agaynste this whole Churche of Englande agaynst the booke of Common-prayers agaynste the ministerie agaynst the Sacramentes fynally agaynst the whole forme and gouernement of the Churche by the whole consent of this realme established according to the rule of Gods word And with what face can you say that they be imprisoned for telling men of their sins â–ª where euer read you or herd you that any of the Prophets or apostles told meÌ„ of their sins by liâ—els Surely that kinde of dealing is not for the Apostles of Christ but for the ministers of Sathan The thirde commeth of the same spirite that the seconde dothe that is of the spirite of arrogancie and malice for it compareth godly wyse zealous and learned Bishops to idolatrous Priests and â—o Phariseys but in déede the conditions and qualities of the Phariseys doo moste aptely agrée wyth the authours of these Libelles and theyr adherentes for the Phariseyes didde all that they did to bée séene of men and soughte the commendation of the common people as appeareth Matthew 6. and .23 and so doo they The Phariseys when they fasted disfygured theyr faces and these walkyng in the streates hang downe their heades looke austerely and in companie sighe muche and seldome or neuer laughe the Phariseys strayned out a gnat and swallowed down a Camell And these men thinke it an heynous offence to weare a cap or a surplesse but in slaundring and back-biting their brethren in rayling on them by Libelles in contemning of superiors and discrediting suche as be in authoritie to be shorte in disquieting the Churche and state they haue no conscience The Phariseys separated themselues from the common sorte of men as more holy and contemned the poore Publicanes as sinners And therfore some learned interpreters thinke that they bée called Pharisaei quasi segregati quod vitae sanctimonia a vielgi moribus vita separati essent noÌ„ aliter atque monachi quos Chartusianos vocant They be called Phariseis as separated and deuided from the coÌ„mon sort in holynesse of lyfe muche like vnto the Monks which be called Carthusians And Iosephus sayth that they were called Phariseys bycause they séemed to bée more holy than other and more cunnyngly to expounde the lawe Also hée sayeth this to bée one propertie of theirs that what so euer theyr owne reason persuadeth them Id sequuntur pertinaciter that they stubbornely followe Agayne hée sayth that they bée astutum hominum genus arrogans interdum Regibus quoquâ— infestum c. A suttle kynde of men arrogante and sometymes ennimies to Kinges and rulers These men separate them selues also from the congregation
and wyll communicate wyth vs neyther in prayers hearing the worde nor sacramentes they confemne and despise all those that bée not of their secte as polluted and not worthye to be saluted or kepte company with and therfore some of them méeting their olde acquayntance béeyng godlie Preachers haue not onely refused to salute them but spitte in theyr faces wishyng the plague of God to lyghte vpon them and saying that they were damned and that God had taken his spirite from them and all this bycause they did weare a cap wherefore when they talke of Phariseys they plucke themselues by the noses But Lorde what a straunge tyme is this when suche as they bee dare thus boldly publishe libelles agaynst their superiors for maynteyning and executing good and godly lawes The conclusion of this Preface is a stoute presumptuous and malaperte threatning in my opinion not to be suffered but howe soeuer your penne and toung walketh yet I pray you holde your handes or else c. In this portion entituled An exhortation to the Bishoppes to deale brotherly with theyr brethren There is no greate matter conteyned worthye of answering onely the authour dothe excuse himselfe for takyng vppon hym that exhortation and moueth the Byshoppes to deale brotherly with the authors of the Admonition Fyrst bicause they be their brethren Secondly bicause they oughte firste to haue discouered vnto the worlde by the worde of God howe truely or falsly they haue written Thirdly bicause they do but disclose the disorders of our Churche of Englande and humbly desire a reformation of the same according to the rule of Gods word c. Fourthly that Papistes lye abroade in their dioces vntouched c. Fifthly that many leude light bookes and balades flie abroade printed not onely without reprehension but Cum priuilegio Lykewyse in the same booke the Author séemeth to iustifie the Admonition and to condemne the Lordship and authoritie of Byshops ascribing thervnto the stay and hinderance of their pretenced reformation charging them after a sort with mangling the Scriptures of God and with snaring the godlie with suche lawes as were purposely made for the wicked These be the principall contentes of that booke The first reason that is that they be their brethren might aswell be alledged for the impuritie of Anabaptists Arrians and such like who pretende the synceritie of Gods woorde and would be counted brethren Yea it might aswell be alledged for many other male faâ—tours who be also brethren and yet must not therefore escape vnpunished for their offences Shall not the Prince and the magistrate execute lawes vppon such as breake them bycause they be their brethren in Christ beware of such doctrine let not affectioÌ„ in priuate mens causes carry you headlong into publique errours But I thinke you are in this point deceiued for how so euer we accoÌ„pt them our brethren yet they accoÌ„pt not vs their brethren neither wil they acknowledge vs so to be as some of theÌ„ bothe in open speach and manifest signes haue declared And therefore when the Bishops deale with them they deale with such as disdayne to be called their brethren To their seconde reason I answere that I thinke they haue bene talked with and herd what they haue to say for them selues but their hawtie mindes and good opinion conceiued of them selues will not suffer them to sée their errours In this reason you alledge nothing for them but that which may also be alledged for the Papistes or any other sect of heretikes But it is an olde saying Turpe est doctori c. How happeneth if that they them selues haue first defamed not the Bishops onely but also this whole Churche of England with publique libelles before they haue vsed brotherlie and priuate conference This is to spye a mote in another mans eye c. How true the third reason is may appeare in my answere to their AdmonitioÌ„ But how true so euer it were yet their disordered disclosing by vnlawfull meanes that is by libelling deserueth as much punishement as hitherto they haue had for the truth nedeth no such vngodly meanes of disclosing If Papists go abrode vnpunished when by lawe they may be touched surely it is a great faulte and can not be excused and I pray God it may be better looked to But this is no good and sufficient reason for the impunitie of other Bicause some Papists be not punished shall therefore no disordered persons be punished Or bycause some in authoritie winke at some Papists shall therefore no lawes be executed towards any offendours Surely touching malice against the forme and state of this our Church I sée no great differeÌ„ce betwixte them and the Papists and I thinke verily they both conspire togither The same answere I make to your fifte reason shall no booke be suppressed bycause some be not It is a fault I confesse to suffer leude ballets and bookes touching manners But it were a greater faulte to suffer bookes and libells disturbing the peace of the Church and defacing true religion Concerning the titles and offices of Byshops I haue spoken sufficiently before In mangling wresting of the scriptures none offend so muche as do the Authours of the Admonition who in that pointe are comparable to the Papistes as may bée séene by the learned and diligent reader If they whome they terme godly do willingly offend against suche lawes as were made for the wicked they are to be punished according to the lawes neyther are they to be spared bicause they pretende godlinesse For there is no godlinesse in breaking of lawes The thirde scroule called An exhortation to the Bishops and their clergie to aunswere a litle boke c is satisfied I trust for I haue as it is there required aunswered the shorte and peuish pamphlet as they terme it I haue disclosed their double and corrupte dealing their wringing of the scriptures to serue their turne and haue declared the true sense and meaning of them I haue not bumbasted it with rethoricke but in plaine and simple manner vttered my iudgement according to the true meaning and sense of the scriptures Notwithstanding I haue in sundrie points declared the vse of the Churche of Christ in times past and do vse the testimonie of auncient councells and learned fathers whiche these vnlearned men vnlearnedly contemne a thing not hearde of in any age or Church nor allowed of any learned man but only of certaine heretiques and especially Anabaptists To be shorte I haue not answered the booke by péeces but wholy How be it I must desire them to pardon me for not making more spéede wyth mine Answere their friuolous quotations so troubled me and my other businesse that I could no sooner make an ende of it In all the rest of that deriding Pamphlet there is nothing of any moment worth the answering Therefore as they alledge this portion of a sentence taken out of Saincte Augustine in his epistle ad Vincen. Si terrerentur non docerentur